Trouble when My Social Spheres Mix on Facebook

Dear Cybersorter,
I have about 300 Facebook friends. They come from different sectors of my life and therefore hold very different values and views.
In the last two weeks I’ve managed to offend the local friends and some of my more urbane friends with updates.
I need Facebook as an outlet for my many and varied opinions and don’t want to have to censor myself but all the negative comments are taking too much time and doing my head in.
DB

Dear DB,
In the words of George Costanza: “Worlds collide, Jerry!”
The merging of previously compartmentalised friendship groups is one of social media’s biggest etiquette challenges.
When we first started using Facebook and Twitter, only a few of our geeky mates were on it. Now you can’t move out there in cyberspace without bumping rudely into ex-boyfriends, grandmothers and work colleagues.
Your answer is simple, Facebook provides Friends lists for just such problems.
Click on “Account”, “Help” and search “Friends Lists”. The first result tells you how to set up friends lists. Put your different sets of friends in separate lists. Then, when you have a thought or opinion that will challenge those of one of your lists go right ahead and post it for them.
Everyone should be encouraged to question and debate their beliefs, including you.
Social media can work for “the little person” to score points against a more powerful entity . . . but more times than not the “little person” only damages themselves further