Facebook Etiquette: Things I think you should know

So...yes, Facebook is great.  I'm glad it's there and it's a useful tool to keep tabs on several people and what's going on in their lives.  In fact, I'm probably on here way more than I should or need to be... a self professed internet addict!  However, I do not believe it's a replacement for real world relationships and some of the same social rules that apply in real life should be adhered to on FB as well.  So, here is MY list of Facebook Etiquette, though I'm sure it's not all inclusive as new things crop up almost daily.  Feel free to add your own in the comments section!

Facebook Ettiquette:

1) Do not be a friend whore!  It's not a competition, you don't score "coolness factor" by having over 500 "friends" on your FB page.  In fact, I think you seem more desperate than anything!  Unless you are a major celebrity (and chances are you're NOT) you should get real and do a massive purge of your "friends" list!

2) Do not be a friend "stealer"! (this ties in to #1) You really should only be friending people you actually know in the real world, not adding everyone of the friends of all of your friends...this is fucking ridiculous!  If you don't know them or have a clue about them as a person, then WHY are you adding them?  This just annoys me to no end, I mean really, are you really keeping up with the 758 people in your friends list? Doubtful.

3) Do not send a friends request or approve a friends request for someone you have no intention of ever communicating with!  I'd like to think that if you've added me or approved my request to add me that you might actually give a damn.  It's perfectly acceptable to ignore or deny a friends request.  I'd much prefer to never be added then to be added under the false impression that you might actually care about what's going on in my life now.

4) If you've added someone and they've commented on your posts or posted something thoughtful on your page or perhaps even sent a message....TAKE THE FUCKING TIME TO COMMENT BACK!! It's so rude to completely ignore someone YOU APPROVED in the first place!  I have people on my friends list like this and have before (they got purged) and let me tell you, it kinda hurts my feelings that I receive zero response from you when I take the time to comment or post something thoughtful.  If you have no interest then just delete me!  I'd much rather know I'm not receiving any communication because you are simply no longer on my friends list than to know you are there and just don't give a shit enough to ever comment....you will be purged!

5) I do not care to know you have taken 47 quizzes today!  Did you know you have the option of NOT posting the results to everyone?  Yes, ok, I am guilty of posting a couple here and there but when that's ALL I see as your status updates for 12 straight hours, I will most likely hide your status updates!

6) Posting inappropriate status messages.  If your status messages (or the nasty little sex quizzes you are taking and posting the results) is anything of a sexual nature or perhaps stating you passed your herpes test....that is TMI, people!  I do not care that according to a Facebook quiz the part of the human anatomy you are is the labia majora....it's just gross and inappropriate!  GROW UP!

7) Constantly posting "poor me" status messages...UGH!!  I'm sorry you are having a bad day, truly, and it's ok to know this once in a while, we've all been there and sometimes it's nice to receive encouragement from a few people.  However, some people take this to the extreme and post NOTHING but the bad shit that is happening to them and this gets OLD!  Take it from someone with bi-polar disorder, I fucking know what a downer life can be, trust me!  And if you want to compare notes in that category chances are I will win!  But for the most part I know people don't want a Debbie Downer on their friends list to get bummed out by every time they log on!  It gets to a point when it's obvious that you are just fishing for people to comment and make you feel better....there's only so much encouraging other people I can take....got it?

8) Now, it may seem hypocritical to have this one after the diatribe I just went on over something similar, but....if someone is having a rather shitty day and once in a blue moon does post something to that effect and is not a habitual abuser of this technique, would it kill you to take 5 sec. and comment?  I had a shit day last week and less than 5% of my "friends" on facebook commented.  Fucking rude and pathetic!  (says I)   That just makes one feel even worse.

9) Do not post old, bad or potentially compromising and or embarrassing  photo's of someone without first getting their explicit permission!  This will get you deleted or start a virtual war in the least!  It's not cute or funny, it's just plain rude and disrespectful.  No thanks, I do not want a pic of me passed out on some bathroom floor 20 years ago circulating the internet!


Ok, that's all I can think of off the top of my head for now.  Below is a video that may cover a few more things as well... As stated in the preface, I'm sure more will arise or perhaps I've left some out so feel free to offer your additions, comments, feed back or what have you in the comments section of the post (if you leave a comment, be sure to subscribe to the comments to get updated when other people comment on the same post)