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Well now you’re on Facebook.  You’ve “friended” your real best friends and closest co-workers.  You’ve added some cousins, an aunt or two, and maybe even your boss.

And now?  Now here come the friend requests from people you don’t even know.

I’m not referring to people you see regularly, or even co-workers and colleagues that you only usually email with.  I’m talking about people whose name you see and ask, “Who is THAT?”

We were all a stumbling around with social media when we started—often posting things and friending people without really understanding it, like awkward freshmen at our first high school dance.  But beyond that, it seems many have turned the act of “friending” via Facebook or Twitter into some kind of online popularity contest.  There’s no “friends etiquette” for Facebook yet—since it’s only been around about four years (just two for Twitter).  But shouldn’t there be SOME system to it?

I don’t have any filters or prerequisites for joining my LinkedIn group.  LinkedIn to me is more of an online networking tool.  I also don’t have much of a filter for Twitter.  (Heck, if someone wants to hear me Tweet about writing this blog or my latest customer service experience, then GAME ON.)

But to me, Facebook is different.  My Facebook page has most of my interests listed, dozens of pictures of my kids, and loads of personal information about me.  More importantly in my case, my friends can read my sometimes amusing, sometimes ranting status updates (most of them are real song lyrics disguised as fake activity).  Most of them are meaningless, but if you didn’t truly know me you might think I’m ready to jump off a bridge…especially if you don’t recognize the song?

I have limited my circle, and don’t have any current clients as Facebook friends, just to be safe.  My bottom line:  If I couldn’t say anything to you in person without it being misunderstood (or in some cases, forgiven?) then I likely won’t have you as part of my Facebook circle either.

Now only known to most Facebookers as “that guy on the dollar bill”, George Washington offered this advice: “Be courteous with many, but intimate with few…” It’s up to each of us to decide where Facebook friends lie in that spectrum, and what etiquette we choose to follow.