# Putting your foor in your mouth on Facebook **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 6, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271 "2011-12-06T17:23:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/1 "2011-12-06T17:23:07Z")
This is probably a pointless comment… but I guess this is the right place for it. You read headlines several times a week about people who said something really stupid, insulting, revealing, even illegal on Facebook. WTF are these people using for brains? I know that when you’re sitting at home alone in the dark of night on your computer, there is the ILLUSION that you’re alone, and that the teeny words you type on the screen are harmless and will go into the ether and land nowhere… \ But once you push that “post” button, especially on a site like FB, you are both public and immortal. I know there’s no rational explanation. Just needed to say that. ---
**Author:** ![Jbone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@Jbone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jbone)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/2 "2011-12-06T17:36:52Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > This is probably a pointless comment… but I guess this is the right place for it. > > You read headlines several times a week about people who said something really stupid, insulting, revealing, even illegal on Facebook. WTF are these people using for brains? I know that when you’re sitting at home alone in the dark of night on your computer, there is the ILLUSION that you’re alone, and that the teeny words you type on the screen are harmless and will go into the ether and land nowhere… \ But once you push that “post” button, especially on a site like FB, you are both public and immortal. > > I know there’s no rational explanation. Just needed to say that. I found that most people seem to ignore these types of comments, though I’ve only been on FB for a few months now. One of my friends had posted a pretty atrocious comment (one of those mass-forwards) that I had to simply respond to. The backlash of Derp that followed was simply too much. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/3 "2011-12-06T17:58:30Z")
I’m talking about this kind of [thing](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/06/nyregion/on-facebook-nypd-officers-malign-west-indian-paradegoers.html): > [@](#): > > N.Y. / Region > **N.Y.C. Police Maligned Paradegoers on Facebook** > By WILLIAM GLABERSON > Published: December 5, 2011 > Some New York City police officers who commented about the West Indian Day Parade appear to have violated department rules barring officers from “disrespectful remarks” about race or ethnicity. It’s like people think no one else is gonna ever see this stuff… ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/4 "2011-12-06T18:16:22Z")
> [@Jbone](#): > > …The backlash of Derp that followed was simply too much. “Derp”? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/5 "2011-12-06T18:27:17Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > “Derp”? [Derp.](http://derp.memebase.com/) ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/6 "2011-12-06T20:47:04Z")
People post stuff on here that they probably shouldn’t, too. Hell, I know I have. At least on here you’ve got a layer of anonymity that you don’t have on Facebook (well, unless your FB info is fake). ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/7 "2011-12-06T23:36:28Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > People post stuff on here that they probably shouldn’t, too. Hell, I know I have. At least on here you’ve got a layer of anonymity that you don’t have on Facebook (well, unless your FB info is fake). This is my point. Getting on FB AS YOURSELF and insulting ethnic groups, confessing you boffed your college prof to get an A, admitting stuff you did that was illegal… acting like this stuff is NOT public. ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/8 "2011-12-06T23:41:26Z")
I see posts about people smoking weed, which doesn’t bother me (illegal though it is, I don’t think cops are combing FB for people celebrating 420) but you do certainly learn a lot more about certain people than you ever wished to know. Like, “Oh, I had no idea Janet was such a closet racist/angry bitch/bad tipper/bad speller…” FB is like a cocktail party. You shouldn’t act like you’re venting to your best friend. There are lots of guests at this party and they are all listening. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/9 "2011-12-07T00:33:34Z")
What am I missing? I’ve some regrettable things on my wall, which I deleted later – but my wall is only visible to friends. Are you saying my conception of visibility of personal walls is flawed? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/10 "2011-12-07T00:57:38Z")
[Turns out that the mayor of Troy, MI doesn’t think very highly of homosexuals.](http://m.cnn.com/primary/_MmXbXV-i4gxdUEfD2E) ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/11 "2011-12-07T01:27:51Z")
> [@Jaledin](#): > > What am I missing? I’ve some regrettable things on my wall, which I deleted later – but my wall is only visible to friends. Are you saying my conception of visibility of personal walls is flawed? You’re kidding, right? You really believe that it’s possible for something you put on the internet to be kept private? Every person who reads your wall (or who is looking over the shoulder of the reader) has the ability to quote you, copy-paste your comments, make screen shots of your photos, etc. And anyone they forward to can forward it to anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/12 "2011-12-07T01:28:30Z")
> [@Jaledin](#): > > What am I missing? I’ve some regrettable things on my wall, which I deleted later – but my wall is only visible to friends. Are you saying my conception of visibility of personal walls is flawed? Your wall is visible to your friends, anyone they show it to, anyone they forward it to, and anyone who uses their computer should your friends forget to log off. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/13 "2011-12-07T01:29:25Z")
> [@Audrey\_Levins](#): > > FB is like a cocktail party. You shouldn’t act like you’re venting to your best friend. There are lots of guests at this party and they are all listening. Well said. Keep every word of this in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2011, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/14 "2011-12-08T02:32:04Z")
Oh, shit. But they can’t _prove_ that I wrote whatever? Holy shit 1E10. ---
**Author:** ![BTEzra04](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9f8e36/32.png) [@BTEzra04](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BTEzra04)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/15 "2011-12-08T02:53:24Z")
There are entire websites devoted to this. [Lamebook](http://www.lamebook.com) is a good one. I guess the resulting humor is good for other people to laugh at, right? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/16 "2011-12-18T00:57:22Z")
Yet another [example](http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/15/please-stop-sharing/)of being really stupid in public in this uniquely modern way. ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-your-foor-in-your-mouth-on-facebook/605271/17 "2011-12-18T01:51:39Z")
There are a lot of angry, angry people on my Facebook. They don’t seem angry in real life. They’re almost what you would call pleasant. But then apparently, it seems that I don’t know anyone who’s politically apathetic, or moderate. On the internet 100 of them are to the left of Leon Trotsky, using the PM of Canada as their vehicle of proving Godwin’s law correct over and over and over and over again…And then another dozen need to post an update every time Ron Paul has a bowel movement, because otherwise the evil shadow bankers will have won, and the entire planet will be destroyed in a fiery apocalypse. This is part of the reason I’m slowly migrating to Twitter. Chad Ochocinco has much more entertaining things to say than my facebook friends!