Most people are involved in some form of social media, and most people have some type of connection to the Internet, or they have heard of either Twitter or of Facebook. When it comes to dealing with Transylvania, everything you knew about social media was wrong.

A good example was found on my Facebook page, I asked what the next post on Things about Transylvania should be about, and one of the followers commented, "the truth!" At first, I wondered why they would say something like this; after all, this blog deals with history and writing it down, and possibly publishing it. It deals with writers and niche markets and what it is like to self-publish in a niche market. This blog also deals with myths and how people see Transylvania in pop culture.
After a while, I thought about this statement a little bit more, and realized that they were talking about a perception of truth.

When Hungary became a part of Austria, in 1571, Transylvania became an independent principality, and it would later be annexed by the House of Hapsburg in 1867. Transylvania became a part of the Empire, and The Grand Prince of Transylvania was the current Emperor. Again, these are facts, and for some this is too complex, but some of the Hungarians who lived or live in Transylvania take the view that Transylvania was always a part of Hungary. This view is not correct, but it is not entirely incorrect either.

Facebook and other social networking sites make these facts harder to share. People can, in an instant, take up a viewpoint that is not correct when they do not understand the entire story. They can say that they know the truth, but the fact remains that there is simply too much information out there to make an argument for anything relating to history, especially when it is linked to culture.
The grey area in regards to facts and history that Facebook has produced is amazing as more people simply take the time to skim over long articles and don't try to learn more about the larger picture. Facebook is a good platform, in so far as it connects people to others in a way that they never could be before, but the challenge is that with subject matter such as Transylvania, where the history of the land changed quickly, social networking is a harsh place to get your word out.
If a person talks about Transylvania in terms of tourist areas, a less volatile topic, then most people will agree that it is a wonderful place to visit and want to learn more information about it. The Romanian government wants people to go and see Transylvania since they make money on tourism. They use social media very well, and there are many sites a person can go to that discuss touring Transylvania which the government of Romania has set up.
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