# Policy on starting a thread to continue a FaceBook debate
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policy-on-starting-a-thread-to-continue-a-facebook-debate/797794
**Category:** About This Message Board
**Created:** [October 2, 2017, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policy-on-starting-a-thread-to-continue-a-facebook-debate/797794 "2017-10-02T05:21:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2017, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policy-on-starting-a-thread-to-continue-a-facebook-debate/797794/1 "2017-10-02T05:21:34Z")
On a friend’s facebook wall, one of his friends asked me a lengthy series of questions about my political positions. Responding point-by-point would have strained the capabilities of a Facebook thread, particularly trying to quote things and go back and forth, etc.
So I thought maybe I would start a SDMB thread, with his questions and my responses to them. Obviously other people would then be able to chime in as well, but it would let me type out all my thoughts in as much space as I needed.
But… that seems at least vaguely similar to a few things that I know are against SDMB policy, such as bringing real life arguments into the SDMB.
So… can I do it?
thanks!
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### Author:  [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2017, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policy-on-starting-a-thread-to-continue-a-facebook-debate/797794/2 "2017-10-02T06:05:09Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#):
>
> But… that seems at least vaguely similar to a few things that I know are against SDMB policy, such as bringing real life arguments into the SDMB.
If by “vaguely similar” you mean “identical.”
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### Author:  [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2017, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policy-on-starting-a-thread-to-continue-a-facebook-debate/797794/3 "2017-10-02T06:17:51Z")
I see no reason why real-life conversation catalysts would be a problem here. Go right ahead. If no one here adopts the position you are arguing against it could be one sided though.
Board wars/instigations are typically what is to be avoided. Also to be avoided are directives to take discussion elsewhere, or as a promo for other places.
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### Author:  [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2017, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policy-on-starting-a-thread-to-continue-a-facebook-debate/797794/4 "2017-10-02T06:23:23Z")
nm
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### Author:  [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2017, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policy-on-starting-a-thread-to-continue-a-facebook-debate/797794/5 "2017-10-02T06:31:32Z")
> [@Bone](#):
>
> I see no reason why real-life conversation catalysts would be a problem here. Go right ahead. If no one here adopts the position you are arguing against it could be one sided though.
>
> Board wars/instigations are typically what is to be avoided. Also to be avoided are directives to take discussion elsewhere, or as a promo for other places.
It’s not mentioned explicitly in the OP but it seems the point would be to post back to this friend of a friend on Facebook asking them to read his replies here.
Inviting responses to a contentious Facebook post getting shared around could lead to a modern day version of board wars, a Facebook pile on. Where the ‘boards’ are someone’s group of Facebook friends, and each of their friend’s friends, and so on.
I guess on one hand it might bring the board a lot of new posters but most likely they won’t be the type who stick around and post on other topics or obey moderator instructions if their point of view is contrary to the OP’s.
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2017, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policy-on-starting-a-thread-to-continue-a-facebook-debate/797794/6 "2017-10-02T07:01:50Z")
If you didn’t bring it up, how the hell would anyone know?
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2017, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policy-on-starting-a-thread-to-continue-a-facebook-debate/797794/7 "2017-10-02T13:20:15Z")
Maybe I don’t fully understand the OP, but if you want to communicate with one other person, why don’t you just send that person an e-mail? Your main concern seems to be “space needed to write a full answer”, so is there some reason the communication needs to be public?
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### Author:  [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2017, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policy-on-starting-a-thread-to-continue-a-facebook-debate/797794/8 "2017-10-02T14:44:52Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#):
>
> If by “vaguely similar” you mean “identical.”
Is it? I mean, it’s obviously similar, but there’s a big difference between “I had a fight with my wife/husband, who is also a SDMB member, and now we’re sniping at each other on the SDMB” vs “here’s an electronic debate I was having with a stranger, I’m moving it from another medium into the SDMB”.
> [@John Mace](#):
>
> Maybe I don’t fully understand the OP, but if you want to communicate with one other person, why don’t you just send that person an e-mail? Your main concern seems to be “space needed to write a full answer”, so is there some reason the communication needs to be public?
I don’t know this person and thus don’t have their email address. And there’s presumably at least potential interest from other people who have posted in the FB thread. That could certainly work but is less than totally ideal.
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### Author:  [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2017, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policy-on-starting-a-thread-to-continue-a-facebook-debate/797794/9 "2017-10-02T23:56:28Z")
As long as you aren’t bringing the discussion here to argue \*with the same individual \*(and it does not sound to me like that’s your intent at all), I don’t see why it would be a problem.
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2017, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policy-on-starting-a-thread-to-continue-a-facebook-debate/797794/10 "2017-10-03T00:28:17Z")
Facebook has a messaging system, though. You don’t need their actual email address.
That said, messages from people who aren’t friends goes in a separate folder that people may not actually check.
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### Author:  [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2017, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policy-on-starting-a-thread-to-continue-a-facebook-debate/797794/11 "2017-10-03T00:52:31Z")
> [@Asimovian](#):
>
> As long as you aren’t bringing the discussion here to argue \*with the same individual \*(and it does not sound to me like that’s your intent at all), I don’t see why it would be a problem.
Actually, that WAS the intention… that said, he said he preferred not to use this medium, so the issue is moot.