Homeowner Lynn Topp, the owner of a Winchester Landing Facebook group, recently posted a warning to the group about sharing private content — without identifying what prompted it, what content was involved, or who was affected. I wrote about it here — and apparently, it got noticed.
Topp Follows Up With a “Clarification”
A few days after I wrote about Topp’s warning, she returned with a follow-up. This time, she explained herself. And the explanation confirms exactly what her silence was protecting.
Read that again. This was never about privacy in the abstract. It was about criticism. Specifically, criticism of the Board.
Criticism is Not a Problem
Topp treats criticism of the Board as though it were self-evidently a problem to be contained — something to warn residents about, something requiring a policy response. It isn’t. Criticism of an HOA Board isn’t a breach of community norms. It’s a normal, healthy, and frankly necessary part of belonging to an association that spends your money and makes decisions on your behalf. Every HOA in the country has residents who disagree with their Board. The ones that function well are the ones where that disagreement is allowed to surface, not the ones where someone tries to build a wall around it.
Misunderstanding of Facebook Terms of Service
Topp claims that “Facebook’s terms of service prohibit re-sharing content from a private group without explicit permission from the group administrators.” That is not what Facebook’s Terms of Service say. Facebook does limit the platform’s built-in sharing of private-group content. But its Terms do not say that a group administrator’s explicit permission is required before a post or comment may be discussed or republished outside Facebook. If Topp believes otherwise, she is welcome to provide a screenshot of the provision she is relying on.
Who is Actually Pushing a Narrative?
Topp frames my blog as an “outside narrative,” as though what’s being reported here is some invented or distorted story. It isn’t. All of my reporting comes from the Board’s own actions and the Board’s own words — contract terms, financial statements, meeting communications, and the Board’s own public statements. None of it requires spin. If Topp thinks something I’ve written is factually wrong, she’s welcome to say what it is. Calling documented conduct a “narrative” doesn’t make it one. If anyone is building a narrative, it’s Topp — in a group she’s made sure I can’t respond in, because she banned me.
Inaccurate Characterization of This Blog
Finally, Topp also claims this blog is being used “to criticize the board and fellow residents.” That’s not accurate. This blog is focused exclusively on scrutinizing the Board. Where resident comments have been addressed, the focus has been on evaluating the accuracy of a specific claim — not attacking the person who made it. This blog has never personally attacked a resident. If Topp believes otherwise, she’s welcome to point to a single example.
If Topp is concerned about personal attacks in this community, I’d invite her to take a closer look at her own group. Apparently, what qualifies as a personal attack depends on who is doing the talking.
For background: I created a second private Facebook group for Winchester Landing after Topp banned me from her group. My goal was not to divide the community, but to offer residents a group that isn’t controlled by a single homeowner — one where a committee of homeowners collectively decides what content is permitted and who is removed, rather than leaving those decisions to one person. Since I no longer had access to the existing group, I distributed flyers to let neighbors know the new group existed. Apparently, a flyer on a doorstep is a five-alarm emergency — enough to warrant a personal attack from a board member and now Frederick County Supervisor.
It’s a Neighborhood Group, Not a Therapy Session
Yes, Topp’s group is private. But let’s keep that in perspective. It isn’t a therapy group where people are sharing their deepest personal thoughts or highly sensitive information. It’s a neighborhood discussion group — consisting mostly of memes, neighborhood chatter, announcements and fairly innocuous posts and comments. And regardless of whether someone’s words were posted in a public forum or a private one, people should be willing to stand behind what they say and defend their position when challenged. Privacy and accountability are not mutually exclusive.
What is This Really About?
Topp claims this is about protecting homeowners. It isn’t. It’s about protecting the Board from scrutiny.
See Also: Related Posts on Lynn Topp
Why Did Lynn Topp Post This Warning To The Facebook Group? – Analyzing Lynn Topp’s privacy-themed post in the Winchester Landing Facebook group.
