Political spats on Facebook spill into real life

Unfriending, blocking and ignoring: Political spats on Facebook affect real-life relationships with family, friends, colleagues and neighbors as the 2012 Election Day battle between Obama and Romney draws near.

How Facebook users think of the site is much different now than during the election race four years ago, says Laura Simpson, global director of McCann Truth Central, the research unit of the McCann Erickson ad agency. "Facebook is evolving into more of a debate space for issues," she says. "Before, it was a much more personal record, or archive, of your social life. Now, there are (updates about) weddings and babies, but you'll also see political views and videos about topics that people feel passionate about." And with that shift, users are more apt to jump into controversial conversations, Simpson says.