Defining Facebook/Online friends

Rikki Hill's comment about Facebook friends the other day inspired this.

So blame her.

What is a Facebook friend? From what I've gathered in my few months here it can mean different things to different people. One very popular model is the 'If-I-know-your-name-or-have-met-you-once-in-my-life-then-I-will-add
-you-as-a-friend-and-we-will-be-Best-Friends-Forever-lol'. I'm not sure I understand this mindset. In real life, do you immediately call someone you've met a friend? I don't. Many of the people I have met in my life can very clearly be classified as 'a dickhead' or 'a stupid bitch'. These people do not qualify as Facebook Friends. Likewise for the friendly people I have met during my life. I would not call all of them 'friends' by any stretch. If anything, they are 'people I know/met a couple of times'. At best, they are acquaintances. I have nothing against them, I just wouldn't call them a friend.

Another Facebook Friend model is the 'This-group-of-people-is-very-tight-knit-and-
are-people-I-speak-to-every-day'. There is nothing wrong with this model, it's just that it's a small one. It could be that you have a very small, very important group of friends who you stay in contact with, and are quite happy to relegate everyone else to the 'acquaintance' pile.

The third model is the 'Hi-my-goal-is-to-have-the-whole-world-on-my-friends-list.' These people add others indiscriminantly. Tila Tequila is an example. She is, apparently, the record holder for MySpace friends. Can't say I blame them, she is an attractive young lady, but that's it. Most people on that page are just another brick in the wall.

'wow u r hot + i like u do u want 2 b my grl frend?'

No, no she doesn't. She wants you to go back to school and learn how to read and spell. That way, when you are sent a rejection letter, you'll be able to understand it.

My Facebook list is a proud member of the fourth model. This list is made up of real-life friends (they breathe, they have skin, and they (well, most of them) have a pulse). These people are some of the ones that I like. I talk with (or used to talk with) these people on a regular basis and hold no ill-will towards them. I have many friends who AREN'T on this list, purely because they don't have Facebook. If one of these people was in some sort of trouble and needed a place to stay for the night, then I would happily oblige without batting an eyelid. If they needed to stay for a second night well, I'd have to check my OTHER list and see if they're on it...

Personally, I do not add people I just met, unless of course we hit it off rather well. I do not Confirm people who add ME if I don't know them. I do not add people when the only thing I know about them is their name, and I do not add people who do not fit the fourth model. If someone is my friend, they are my friend, if they are not, then they are not. I take words like 'friend' seriously, and I think others would do well to do the same.

Cheers.