The Perils of Policymaking Through Facebook

[XLFD]

A recent post on the City of Ludington Facebook page asking for input on a topic that's probably spawned the most controversy at city hall meetings among councilors has received a tepid reception over the last five days with the general public.  No comments, no 'likes', but it has gotten three shares; here's what I see when I check in at their page.

The City of Ludington (COL) regularly puts up Facebook posts, some like the one above, to probe for public input and opinions.   If you are familiar with Facebook, the most widely used social medium currently, you generally are able to 'like' a page and get updates from that page when they post something.  When you see those updates, you can typically comment and do one of the familiar emojis to like or show reactions of love, anger, sadness, laughter, or amazement.  

Because the administrators of this page (and several related local propaganda pages like the Downtown Ludington, COLDNews, MCP, etc.) have decided that my opinions and input do not agree with theirs, they have actively disallowed me and others of like mind to 1) Like their page (see photo below, the 'like page' option is not there for me), 2) comment on their posts, 3) rate their page, 4) use an emoji.  The people that run these public-oriented Facebook sites and do so during the time they are being paid for working for all the public, have similarly blocked me from seeing their individual posts.  

Sadly, when you express an opinion that does not represent the narrow line of thought promoted by the Community Development Director and the DDA Marketing and Communications Director, your opinion is not allowed to be made or shared.  About the only thing they allow you to do is share their post-- which you cannot comment on.  

You might wonder what I may have said or done to merit such censure.  Have I been disrespectful towards their views?  Have I committed some sort of personal or ad hominem attack against them?  Do I spam their site?  Do I 'troll' their site?  

I cannot remember any instance of any of these, and I'm sure they would spotlight such a thing if I did.  Like the supposedly tolerant progressives they strive to be, they fail like most of the other so-called tolerant progressives by showing they are intolerant regressives by their repression of alternate views that are provably better and saner than theirs.  

So you can tell them all you want of how their policies will only lead to universal suffering except for the few connected people in the government like them-- but in reality you can't because they have expelled you from their safe space on Facebook and everywhere else they can do so.  

But you need to also ask that if the local government asks for opinions on Facebook, or other social media, where they have the ability to totally block you from seeing their posts even when you haven't done anything wrong, are they doing so in fairly representing the public? 

The question about signs in the right-of-way has not been asked on the COL official website, so if you are one of the people put into a Facebook concentration camp by the COL, you are effectively shut off from submitting your input like the rest of the public who can put a laughing or sad emoji under the post and then ask them why the COL doesn't consider ever addressing their massive debt, their pension deficit, and multiple ethical scandals.  EVER. 

Of course, you could only make a post like that once until you become a fellow camper.  Happy campers at city hall realize that things like ethics, debts, transparency, and other substantive issues that mean something to the Ludington citizen are their political third rail.  The people left behind to answer on Facebook to talk of signs are either too frightened to express opinions, too expectant that their opinion will once again be overlooked by the city elites, or too apathetic about the issue to strike their keyboard.  

If the city leaders want input on Facebook, and you know they do when they put '...' four days after their post was made, then allow the disenfranchised the ability to give input on Facebook.  To not do so is not only unfair, but cowardly.  And give those who visit the COL webpage the opportunity to get into the conversation, because the Facebook COL page is usually not what those interested in the future of the COL check first.  

[AQUAMAN]

Personally, I believe that Shyster Shay is the main person that orchestrates these sort of things, for his petty vengeance and ego. I'd be willing to bet if you asked anyone else about it, except for maybe Ms. Steckel, they have no idea about it. And I bet most wouldn't even care if you did post there X. Follow that up at the next mtg. and see who's face gets red, then we'll know for sure.

[Brad]

Heather Tykoski and Jen Tooman run the COL facebook and website I believe.  And yes Shay is there too.

[Freedom Seeker]

Thanks XLFD and Brad for this information. The city does not sign it, no official at the city signs the post. How can one know this is not fake news or a personal, outside of City Council advise or request with no official signature? Can't anyone post to this site?

Does anyone know of discussion in city council that requested this survey?

[Brad]

Could have been at this meeting.  

ludingtoncitymi.documents-on-demand.com/Document/99abfca4-b72b-e811-80bf-001fbc00ed85/Building%20&%20Licenses%20-%20Long%20Range%20Planning%20Agenda%20April%2011,%202018.pdf

[AQUAMAN]

All the answers on that FB page are simply made by "City of Ludington" as the poster, nothing more as to whom that person is. Heather and Jen are also posting elsewhere on FB too, and from what I've witnessed, they are always defensive & paranoid in attitude, and defend the COL like no one ever makes any mistakes. That seems to be the prevailing stance on any subject matter these days for quite a few years, and it's simply childish and egotistical imho. They really seek no opinions on anything if it doesn't agree with theirs. That's why we have the infrastructure, contract bidding, misapplied grant monies, huge tourist projects, and other messes around Ludington now, they can't get past their own arrogance to see the big picture of the local scene.

[AQUAMAN]

Oh, someone named "Downtown Ludington" is also posting too now.

[Brad]

Probably DDA.  So Heather or Jen Tooman most likely.

[jfc123]

Well it is election time and I believe that our presence on social media will bring more out to run and vote that desire change! At least I pray this happens. ROTTA FOR MAYOR!!! I know for a fact he could get signatures in an hour!

[XLFD]

Thanks, it would probably take a couple of hours to get the 40 needed, but for this election cycle, I'm a nay-or.  I honestly think I can accomplish more as an energized citizen than a limited-power mayor dealing with a council and manager going in an opposite direction.   

[Willy]

The COL has an obligation to let people know if the Facebook page with their name is an official site sponsored by the City or if it something else. Anyone running the CIty Facebook page must be an elected City official or employee and whomever is answering questions or giving out information must provide their identity. Having a nameless and faceless website is not going to promote Ludington as an open and transparent community. Information posted on that site must be approved by a Council member or the Mayor. Not even Shay should have that responsibility since he is a proven liar and possesses many of the qualities attributed to a tyrant. It is nothing short of obscene to have a web page, operating in the name of the COL, to be run in the manner it is now being presented. By the way I do not use Facebook.