the constitution of the united users of facebook
Although Facebook is pretty cool, many weird things have started to happen in regards to friend invites, or what I call the myspaceization of Facebook. Two of them that are annoying are:
1) Complete strangers send me a friend invite. Facebook is based on networks and real relationships so I find it odd that random people are sending me invites. I understand that they are trying to rack in a high number of "friends" but I thought Twitter was the site for counting the number of connections, not Facebook.
2) Blatant, public, and unmistakable enemies of mine send me a friend invite. I don't mean people from high school days who I may or may have not liked. Honestly, I don't mind accepting requests from most old schoolmates. However, I am referring to people that I have met in adulthood, where it is obvious to the both of us that we are not friends. I understand their compelling need to see what is on my Info tab since Myspace days, to know if I am dating anyone so they can proceed to rearrange their life if need be (in terms of time spent) in hopes of destroying that relationship or to hope to be in the audience to watch their wishful thoughts of my impending demise come true. Melodramatic? Indeed. A completely honest assessment of the specific women that I am referring to who are currently doing this (even to the point of following my entire online presence)? Certainly.
So in a jokingly way while chuckling with one of my sisters, I wrote what should be an amendment to the Constitution of the United Users of Facebook (I made that up) regarding friend requests:
"No person shall send a friend request to another person unless a minimum of one of the four conditions are met: a shared common interest, a minimum of 10 mutual friends, actually knowing the person, or actually liking the person (versus disliking the person and being a blatant enemy). This shall apply to all persons who meet or exceed the age of twenty-five who send friend requests to any persons that meet or exceed the age of thirty. If a person desires a connection with a complete stranger, they shall do so by means of Twitter since that is the platform for connection with strangers whom may have not met any of the four aforementioned conditions. Persons sending friend requests shall realize that Facebook is about relationships and more personal information is shared with friends and is made available via Facebook thus not appropriate for random strangers. All persons shall earn their way into friendships on Facebook and shall not use the term 'friend' lightly."
I don’t want total strangers or enemies who make Ephesians 6:12 seem more valid than ever on my friends list. I try to keep Facebook fun and light and that's how I roll.
Related Blog Posts: facebook might be a sandbox, facebook might be a bar, my twitterization of facebook, the secret to female friendships
