Facebook 'Friends'

Social networking...it's the next big thing. People of all ages are participating, even businesses are getting in on the game.

Now I enjoy Facebook as much as the next person who loves knowing all about people without having the burden of maintaining a non-virtual relationship. But what Facebook has done to the word "Friend" is interesting. It seems to me that this social networking business has altered the meaning and thus the usefulness of the word.

What exactly does it mean to be someone's 'Friend' on Facebook? A few examples from my own Facebook Friend collection:

We went to the same high school and might have had a class or two together...so let's be Facebook Friends, it will boost our numbers.

We went to elementary school together, I always thought you were crazy, but now that we're Facebook Friends I can see actual proof...pictures of you at your Wicken cult meetings, etc.

We're second cousins, the least we could do is become Friends on Facebook, we share a great-grandmother!

We were in English class together where you were constantly on Facebook. We were talking one day while waiting for the professor to arrive and you said, "What's your last name?" I said, "West." You said, "Ok I'm adding you on Facebook,"and I, well it would have been awkward the rest of the semester if I hadn't accepted. Now your constant status updating is extremely agitating, especially the Nicholas Sparks quotes, but addicting at the same time. I can' get enough of the weirdness.

You play for the Jazz, I friended you on a whim and you accepted! I love you and I love Facebook!You're 60 years old, have no idea how to use Facebook, and so I feel as though I get all the benefits of Facebook Friendship without the burdens. Plus, you're more likely to put some interesting tidbits out somehwere I can see them because you don't quite get just how open this thing is to everyone under the sun.

You friended me at least three times, I didn't have the heart to say no again.

You were dating one of my friends, now you're not, I barely know you and yet we are still Facebook Friends.

I work with you, and it was easier to get a response from you by facebook messaging you than by actually coming to your office. You respond faster to Facebook messages than emails anyway.
I've never met you in person, but we apparently will be going to Europe together this Summer so we may as well start the virtual relationship now to prepare. Plus your profile picture is of you scuba diving next to a GIANT fish and I want to know more...is it real? Was it dangerous? Where was this taken?

Should I consider all these people my friends? Do we hang out on the weekends? Could I call them up if I was in trouble? No, I think not. But what? This is a quasi-relationship that needs a term, and I think this term lies somewhere between Friend and Stranger.