Facebook’s Guilsfield goof

 

Guilsfield residents are cyber-seething after a Facebook bungle relocated the biggest village in Wales to Shropshire.

 

Hundreds of residents have joined the social networking site which has taken the worldwide web by storm with more than 500 million active users. But some are threatening to cancel their accounts after feeling ‘insulted’ by the American internet phenomenon.

 

The glitch is apparent when users type in their ‘current location’ or ‘hometown’ of Guilsfield before Facebook automatically adds Shropshire. It comes just a fortnight after mywelshpool revealed that Severn Trent had informed residents of Welshpool’s Borfa Green that they were in Shropshire in a letter about maintenance.

 

One disappointed Guilsfield user, Alison Pringle, said: “I was appalled to find Guilsfield placed in England by Facebook, presumably as part of a plot to re-classify the entire country of Wales as ‘The West’, and annex all our best athletes, musicians and footballers! Or maybe to earmark us as a future site for a Super New Reservoir for all those parched South Eastern Folk?!”

 

Another quipped: “Imagine what it would be like if Shrewsbury or Chester was included in Wales? There would probably be a parliamentary debate called! This is insulting to us proud Welsh people living in Guilsfield and I am sure I speak for many when I demand something is done!”

 

Launched in 2004, Facebook accounts for 22 per cent of all internet traffic and is believed to be worth in excess of $25 billion. It has become the fastest growing company of the new millennium but has endured criticism recently over its privacy policy. A critically acclaimed feature film on its story is currently showing across the UK.

 

However, the village believes there is no excuse and demands that the web giant amends the error.

 

Glynne Turner, Chairman of Guilsfield Community Council, said: “Of course we want it to be corrected. It is not ideal and there will be quite a few unhappy residents I am sure!”

 

Mywelshpool contacted Facebook but has not received a reply to date.

 

- More than 500 million active users

- 50 per cent access every day

- Facebookers spend 500 billion minutes per month on site

- Average user has 130 ‘friends’

- Facebook is translated into 70 languages including ‘pirate’