Posting on facebook is breaking AA tradition, though many people choose to ignore that as there aren't any rules, only suggestions. AA saved my life so I do my best to respect it. The steps are for my own personal growth and safety, the traditions are generally for the safety of AA as a whole, but they do also protect us as individuals. I learned a lot about anonymity in my second year sober when I shared at a table with a bunch of old timers that I was considering breaking it in a college class. Got to hear everyone's experience, and then still went on to learn a bit on my own. Basically what I got from that table is that our anonymity shouldn't be broken for any self serving reasons. And those reasons can often disguise themselves real well. We should also thoroughly check our motives before deciding to break our anonymity. Many times, at least for me, I had a desire to do so to feel just a little bit different or seperated from the rest. A subtle ego thing going on.
What I learned from my own experience is that even when we think we're really safe sharing the fact that we're recovering alcoholics, it can come back and slap us pretty hard upside the head. My first sober job was at a deli. I became friends with everyone there. No problem letting them all know my story. When I was having a rough go one time because of the loss of a friend, guess what they were thinking. I started getting accused of things missing from the store, and stuff got ugly. Point is that I never expected it.
Employers use facebook, as do a plethora of other people these days to get information on people. Lots and lots of people see the things we post and we don't have a clue what the repurcussions of that could be. We understand alcoholism and recovery. A lot of the sober world doesn't. Even being in recovery, if I had to choose between 2 equal candidates for an employee (or tenant, as I do have to), and one was sober a year, the other had no alcohol problem - I'd have to go with the person with no problem.
But forgetting about all that, bottom line is we say we're from AA, then anything we say after that can get associated with AA also. People can form opinions from our opinions and it can be hurtful to AA as a whole. And should one of us drink, then we did a fine job of advertising just why AA doesn't work. Lots of reasons it ain't such a grand idea to go posting on facebook.
Thought I'd cut and paste the importand part of the link I posted yesterday. Had a little more time this morning.... what's below is from the general service board of AA. Not me. A lot more in the link.
GENERAL SOCIAL NETWORKING WEB SITES
Facebook and other social networking Web sites are public in nature. Though users create accounts and utilize usernames and passwords, once on the site, it is a public medium where A.A. members and non-A.A.s mingle.
As long as individuals do not identify themselves as A.A. members, there is no conflict of interest. However, someone using their full name and/or a likeness, such as a full-face photograph, would be contrary to the spirit of the Eleventh Tradition, which states in the Long Form that, "…our [last] names and pictures as A.A. members ought not be broadcast, filmed or publicly printed."
Experience suggests that it is in keeping with the Eleventh Tradition not to disclose A.A. membership on social networking sites as well as on any other Web site, blog, electronic bulletin board, etc., that is not composed solely of A.A. members and not password protected, or is accessible to the public.
Web sites social networking offer individuals the chance to post a great deal of personal information about themselves (and others). Our experience suggests that some A.A. members do not post anything that is "A.A. jargon" on their personal profiles and in "status updates," while others feel it is alright to do so as long as A.A. or Alcoholics Anonymous specifically is not mentioned.
These Web sites often allow users to create social networking "groups" and the ability to invite others to "events" for like-minded individuals. Some A.A.s have chosen to create A.A.-related groups. Since this is a
relatively new medium, A.A. members are frequently "learning as they go," and technology and applications change practically on a daily basis. Our experience has shown that the evolving nature of social networking platforms makes it difficult to provide specific guidelines for using such resources for A.A. purposes. Any A.A. group or member that is thinking about entering this public arena should closely consider the privacy policies of such sites, in light of A.A.’s tradition of anonymity. For example, social networking sites often provide full names and pictures of group members, contrary to A.A.’s practice of avoiding such disclosures in public media. Even "closed" or "private" groups might still reveal an individual’s identity. Being well-informed prior to joining or starting such a group is the key to protecting your own anonymity, and that of others.
G.S.O. has received numerous complaints from concerned A.A. members regarding anonymity breaks online, inappropriate use of the A.A. name, and copyrighted materials and protected trademarks being improperly used on Facebook and other social networking Web sites. No local online A.A. or non-A.A. entity should purport itself to be a spokesperson for A.A. or act as if they represent the General Service Office, A.A.W.S., or the General Service Board. Each A.A. entity is autonomous and encouraged to make decisions by informed group conscience decision in light of the guidance provided in our Twelve Traditions.
http://www.aa.org/en_pdfs/mg-18_internet.pdf