According to MSNBC's technolog, Karen Beth Young, an American woman, is currently suing Facebook after they disabled her account. She claims they did this because she started a petition page to increase the current 5000 'friend' limit. Clearly, no-one thought to tell this woman she is only capable of maintaining 150 meaningful relationships. But, do facebook friends really qualify as meaningful relationships? I went through my 203 facebook friends and counting only the ones I would say hello to if I saw them in the street, found only 44 of them made the cut. Maybe I'm just antisocial but the thought of trying to maintain 5000, or even 1000 friends is impossible, and a little frightening.
The thing is, these people aren't conventional friends. Social networking sites blur the real life barriers you put between your interactions with genuine friends, acquaintances, that guy you met once at a bar and Mahoumed Jahar(no mutual friends). Despite the insistence of facebook, all of these people are not your 'friends.' South Park had it right when they criticised the emerging 'friending' culture. Yes, I too was obligated into adding my nana as a friend. At least twitter is honest, because really a lot of them are 'followers.' They might occasionally browse your page to keep up to date with where you are and who you're with (stalkers, much?), but they're also likely to avert your eye in the street to avoid the awkward 'I know who you are but don't want to greet you' smile.
Putting the friend issue aside, the greatest thing about this story is that apparently Karen Beth Young drove from her home in Maryland to Facebook headquarters (about 3700km) to demand her account be reinstated. Now that's dedication.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
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Yea, the Dunbar Number is interesting to a degree, with the whole...observation for non-human primates in order to help estimate a social group approximation for humans. But I have a different kind of feeling about it. Thanks for caring about the problem though and it's nice to meet you...Karen Beth Young
ReplyDeleteOne thing you have to look at though: Is facebook's primary purpose to keep meaningful relationships?
ReplyDeletePersonally I put people on Facebook because it is easy to keep in contact or if I think we could benefit each other at some point. For example: When I went over to Europe for my '08 OE I used facebook to ask the people I went to High School with and the people who I already knew were in Europe where in the world they were and if I could stay a night or two with them if I went to their city. What that resulted in was 6 weeks in Europe with only 4 nights in Youth hostels. I have also taken in people who I have on facebook (And first impression has indicated a decent person) who I dont really know too well. So in that sense 10,000 "Friends" might not be such a bad idea.
Its funny you should talk about friends on Facebook you'd say hi to. As it reminded me of how I intentionally snob and have been snobbed by 'friends' on Facebook haha.
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