Playing devil’s advocate liberal lawyer who wanted to take down FR on a case like this, I would argue that FR is different from just a message board because:
1. Each user can set up a personal profile page.
2. Users can interact personally with other users through ‘ping lists’ and state boards.
3. Users interact socially, not just from messages but through events like conventions, tea parties, etc.
4. Users are given profile tools like mailboxes, link lists, etc.
5. Users essential join groups with ping lists.
6. Users can customize the view for the topics and items they wish to see.
All these items make FR more than just a place you post messages, it is, by most definitions, a social networking website. One could say we were one of the first of the kind.
FR is unique, but different from Facebook and the rest because unless and until we all meet each other at the events, we are pretty anonymous (individually, that is) here.