Facebook friends have uses other than making you look popular!

[Doctragon]

According to New Scientist [http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20727680.500-why-facebook-friends-are-worth-keeping.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news] Facebook friends have uses, such as providing news and job opportunities.

What are your thoughts? On a side note, do you friend people you don't know in real life on Facebook? And do you consider your facebook friends as important as your real life friends?

 

[Pariah87]

I deleted my Facebook a while ago after I realised I had no real connection with any of the people on there. I would go on simply to look at what is occuring in other peoples lives instead of focusing on my own. Heh, we find escapism any way we can I guess.

I only ever added people I actually knew in the real world though, even if some of them I hadn't seen for a couple of years. I sort of realised why I lost contact with these people though, aside from my close group everything they thought worthy of sharing to the world seemed pointless and inane.

I understand the whole news thing though, mainly deaths which I wouldn't have heard about otherwise i.e The Rev, Peter Steele and so on.

 

[unoleian]

It's a nice way to keep connected with people where time and distance makes most other communication difficult or undesirable.

And no, I only friend people I know. And not just people I know, but people I consider friends, now or in years past.

I don't know why you would want 1,000 "friends" on there like some people I know, all that does is add noise over the communication with people you actually want to hear stuff from...

 

[Low Key]

I only friend people I have actually met face to face, some of them I currently hang out with, some of them I knew in years past.

It doesn't bother me that someone uses it purely as self-gratification. If a person wants to add everyone they can, I don't see how that affects me or anyone else in the least.

 

[Marter]

I recently purged my friends list from about 100 people to 18. Feels much better.

I've added one person I don't know IRL on FaceBook, but he's on The Escapist, and we've talked, so it's cool. I wouldn't add random people.

 

[Colour Scientist]

I know everyone I'm friends with on Facebook, most are people I'm currently in contact with but a few childhood friends found me on it which was quite nice. It's good in that respect.

 

[Blue Musician]

I do not have Facebook, so I basically do not care.

 

[CK76]

Value of networking cannot be overstated in getting a job.

 

[Dark Knifer]

I can see people getting jobs through facebook now, I mean courts use facebook to provide evidence so... Also, I don't add people I don't know or don't like.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I don't friend many people I haven't met face to face. Also I'd rather pursue jobs the more traditional way.

The way that doesn't expose my more stupid moments.

 

[likalaruku]

Facebook friends can....

*Get you fired.
*Put you on FailBook.
*Guess your password & prankishly write something you would never say.
*Post embarassing pictures of you drunk.

 

[Doctragon]

You all raise some good points. I mainly add people I don't have another way of contacting them, there are some people I have on there that I want to find out what they're doing and there has been one person on there that is a friend of a friend that added me. I didn't want to be rude or cause anything so I added her back. However, my facebook name is Togashi Doctragon so people from work or my family can't find and add me. I've never asked for a job on facebook but I will suggest that to a friend that's currently looking for one.

 

[Stormz]

I only add people I know in real life. I don't really have friends anywhere near me but I have a few where I used to live and have them added. Granted I never talk to them at all except one or two on occasion.

 

[no oneder]

I have no Facebook. Me and my friends are boycotting it for giving away personal information away to strangers.