Editorial by Carrie Moritz
Administrating a Facebook group requires a quick learning curve, especially when that group goes semi-viral. When I created Garretson Living in 2014, my goal was to bring the community together, get to know their neighbors, provide a watering hole for discussions and information, and a place that businesses could use to help keep residents shopping local.
One would say that goal was not only reached, but exceeded expectations.
The group had several hundred members almost immediately, and had 3,000 members by 2018. Now, it's almost 5,000 strong.
Part of its success was due to the group's structure- it is public, seen by everyone, and posts could be shared.
I was soon joined by one moderator, then two, as the group began exploring everything from whether a Dollar General should be allowed in city limits and how much local business advertising was too much, to lost pets and children. The group has been used for answers to many questions, and to forewarn people about road conditions or closures.
To say it is wide-ranging is an understatement.
However, like all social media, Garretson Living has been a double-edged sword. The moderators and admin of the group have dealt with threats and insults to their person, have had to moderate arguments, suspend or ban repeat offenders, and have had to delete many questionable posts and comments. Leaders in the community have had to deal with being offended, questioned, and wondering why this group has to continue to exist.
When I stepped back from administrating the group in 2021, it came after many sleepless nights, asking myself if I had made the right decisions for the group. While experts say that's the mark of a good leader, I was having a hard time detaching myself from it emotionally, and knew it was time to be done. I also knew that I was leaving it in good hands, and that most members would help admin keep the group on the right track.
And they have. While not everyone may agree, I believe the current moderators have done the best they can, while also being involved with families, jobs, hobbies, and everything that comes with being a member of society, in a space where they're unpaid volunteers.
Some things I learned along the way:
First, there's never going to be a decision that pleases everyone. We all have different tastes, opinions, and levels of tolerance for one thing or another.
Second, everyone is human. We all make judgement calls, decisions in poor taste, and say things we may come to later regret.
Third, we have to do our best not to hide behind a keyboard. Yes, that's rich, coming from someone who spends hours and hours a week writing behind a keyboard. But part of owning a newspaper is talking to members of our community, constantly. In person. On the phone. And over email. It provides a connection that allows us to re-shape our perspectives, and helps to keep us from potentially saying something that may unintentionally be taken badly (again, since we are still human, it isn't perfect). But we do our best not to hide behind the keyboard when crafting stories.
The group is public. It's easy to forget that, since it is used almost exclusively by Garretson residents, despite its just under 5,000-member size. Posts and comments can be seen by many different entities. That comes with its pros and cons. But we have to remember, that what is said on Garretson Living is like speaking loudly in the town square- you don't know who's going to overhear, or what consequences could come from being overheard.
This means it's important to remember that online entries, such as Facebook posts, impacts people in the real world, too.
