Staten Island 'Slighted' By Facebook

Staten Islanders have been "slighted once again" and reminded of their perceived "forgotten borough" status, according to the president of the Richmond County Young Republicans Club, Anthony Reinhart, because Facebook does not list Staten Island as a town or city. While the social networking Web site does include the Bronx and Brooklyn as well as neighborhoods in Queens, Staten Island residents are left to choose between New York, N.Y., and Staten Island Junction, N.J., when creating events, causing confusion for some.

Club executives sent a letter of complaint last week to Facebook founder and chief executive officer, Mark Zuckerberg, but have not yet received a response.

"It might seem little to people not here on Staten Island, but because we have that reputation as a forgotten borough, these things add up and we'd just like to be noticed," Mr. Reinhart said.

"They don't seem to know that Staten Island exists," a City Council member of Staten Island, James Oddo, said jokingly. He added that the New York Times has printed references and maps of the boroughs that only mention the other four. "The Times wouldn't mind if we drifted into the New Jersey coastline," he added.

Facebook did not return calls for comment.

The story was originally reported by the Staten Island Advance.