Facebook as a political venue

I am not a big Facebook user. I basically registered with Facebook after a bunch of people told me I should. Since it is free (that shows I am Jewish whether or not I like cholent) I registered. However I have never become a major Facebook user. I am not really sure what it is for, other than for picking up girls, which is something that is not for me.

I check my Facebook page once or twice a day. Generally that is after I get an email saying I have a message from somebody or somebody's Zombie attacked me and I laid the smack down on them (clearly this is the best part of Facebook so far in my opinion).

But now it looks like Facebook is becoming the new frontier for political activity. Some Israeli politicians have recognized the popularity of Facebook and have registered themselves as users and started political groups. They recognize this as a method of contact and communication with the younger electorate and are embracing it. So far, I know of two MKs that have already registered and both are now on my Friends list...that is along with another non-MK politician that has been using Facebook for a while already.

I registered these two new users as friends even though I am not supporters of theirs (one is from Labor and one is from Yisrael Beiteinu) because they have taken the first step and I find it to be an intriguing new venue for the communication of ideas and politics. So what if I do not agree with them on some of their issues? This is a way they can suggest ideas, and I and others can argue or suggest other ideas. Hopefully the link between the politicians and the people will become tighter and the politicians will be more aware of the various ideas and concerns among the various sectors of the people.

I hope this trend becomes popular and more of the MKs register and embrace the new methods of communication. And hopefully they will register and not just use it to pick up girls like most people do or let their pages stagnate with no activity, rather they should sell their thoughts and policies to the public via the new medium.

And anyway it's free, so why not?