I get Facebook friend requests on my Facebook profile from absolute strangers. I think, "Who are you people?" and I sometimes respond with this message which has changed over time, "How do we know each other?" "How do I know you?" and now I bluntly ask, "How do you know me?" Many don't bother to respond and sometimes the ridiculous responses are enough to qualify them, and for me to freely ignore their friend request.
It irks me when I get a random friend request. I assume you just want to "mind my business" or "increase your numbers popularity" or "just want to pretend to be friends."
You may not think you’re a total stranger if you follow The Sweet 7, Twitter or if we have mutual friends in common, but I have no idea who you are. If we’ve never spoken or if there is no evidence that I know you, you’re a stranger, plain and simple.
It may surprise you to know, I may want to accept your friend request and become friends. In fact, I have a few wonderful random friends from my Hi5 days. But when you request my friendship without saying how you know me, anything about a mutual contact, why you think we should connect, etc., your friendship does not look sincere.
Many of the rules for good Facebook etiquette are the same rules that apply to any online communications. Common courtesy, decency, good manners, and the golden rule apply on Facebook as well. Never, ever send a random friend request without taking a few minutes to write a little message that attaches with a friend request. If you want to be my Facebook friend (or ANYONE’s Facebook friend, this is etiquette that should be universal) spend 60 seconds saying why. Warning, think about your approach, 'cause this is your 60 second introduction. It can either get you in or leave you out!
Then there are people, I do know but do not care to include them in my circle of friends. A few continuously send friend requests, with no shame and such desperation. "We were not friends in school, I have no desire to be your friend now!" I have one friend who just can't seem to forget old classmates who said "you'd be the first to get pregnant!" who constantly harass and bombard her with friend requests now. Please, don't ask someone to be your friend more than once!
I've also deleted people for various reasons who then find the nerve to message, asking why did I delete them. Facebook brings me to a place where I prefer to keep my group of friends to a very limited few. There is the need to keep work and social lives separate, among plenty of other reasons.
... And even though, I'm on Facebook, maybe "I JUST WANT MY PRIVACY!"
