As we evolve within FB, the social networking concept also grows.  I’m noticing more people comment or “like” status updates now, and depending on the nature of the update, several comments start conversations that keep going all day.  This is especially true when a friend posts an update that refers to a controversial subject, or a political topic, or declaring that a friend purge is about to happen. 

All interesting stuff, especially when you monitor the conversation and you happen to know some of the friends chipping in their two cents on a topic.  Beyond overfriending, how do you feel when all of a sudden you get friend suggestions and requests from your broader professional network?  I don’t mean people you work with, who generally know what you are up to, but others, such as vendors, or business acquaintances, or simply people in your field who you would only know and trust professionally?

Hmmm… I’m still unsure about that one.  As a PR person, I have an interesting mix of friends in my network that I talk to frequently, from high-school, to grad school, to past colleagues, and even reporters I’ve gotten to know over the years.  That way I generally don’t feel overfriended.  I guess it also depends on the profile you want to have, and if FB is used as a personal PR and marketing tool, instead of purely a place to connect with friends for the sake of sharing small, quirky everyday details.  If FB is clay, you can certainly mold it anyway you want.  That’s part of its attraction to millions across the globe. 

But do I want the same network of people on FB as I have on LinkedIn reading about how I fractured my toe last week, where I took my evening walk, or about my 3-year old’s attempt to a cupcake batter?  Definitely not.

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