Daily Marauder

INDECENT EXPOSURE IN FACESPACE: FRIEND REQUESTS

Listen up randoms of the world: I don’t want ANY.

I’m sure your band rocks out but unless I’ve already jammed to you, I’m not adding you as my “friend” in Myspace. And to random sketchy guy: If we haven’t met nor do we have any connections in common, I’m not confirming you.

In this most recent edition of Facespace, I attempt to tackle a sensitive issue:

Unwanted Friend Requests

It’s hard to imagine a real world situation in which a stranger calmly saunters up to you and requests your friendship. In Facespace, however, this is common practice. In many cases, a simple ignore is the only necessary response. Shockingly though, some will send multiple friend requests to test your resolve. In even rarer situations, some friend requests can result in jail time.

Just take UK resident Dillon Osborn, as evidence. In October ‘07, he was sent to jail for sending a friend request to his ex-wife after receiving a restraining order forbidding to contact her. Way harsh Ty. Some click ignore. Some call the po’ po’. Interesting tactic. For more on the story, click here.

Definition

Friend

1 a: one attached to another by affection or esteem b: acquaintance

There are several classifications of unwanted friend requests. Let’s dig a bit deeper. . .

Work Colleagues

Here you are at your desk minding your own business, wasting some quality time on Facebook when your boss sends a friend request. It’s one thing if you and your boss are close but quite another if this isn’t the case.

What do you do?

Ignore and create an awkward situation with the man/woman who decides your promotional state. Accept and your boss has free access to your online identity. No more drunken photos of you and the friends. In any situation when a boss or any other work colleague attempts the friend lock, tread carefully. I have no easy answer on this one. It’s really a case by case decision.

Family

In doing some research for this post, I came across an article from the Washington Post describing a situation in which a father had requested to be his son’s friend in Facebook. Many teenagers regard their social networking space as an environment free from the prying eyes of their parents. Many parents know this and find it to be an uncomfortable situation.

Here’s my judgment on this one. Don’t friend your kids. They have a hard enough time trying to convince other kids how cool their kicks are on a daily basis. In addition, if the mall has been replaced by Facespace, it still doesn’t qualify a visit from mom or dad.

Randoms

This situation presented itself as recently as Friday. Some random man sent me a friend request. I saw that he was friends with my friend and so figured that I knew him. Accepted. I then proceed to get an e-mail from 2 other friends (obviously doing their homework) asking if I know this man. Oh snap! A friend roach on the prowl and I didn’t even see it coming.

The Final Word

Don’t be a friend roach. If we wouldn’t sit together in the cafeteria, we shouldn’t be friends in Facespace.

Want More Facespace?

If you’re ready to tackle more social networking faux pas’, check out the other Indecent Exposure in Facespace posts:

To Tag or Not to Tag

When Your Status Says Too Much

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