Help me, Facebook?

[trales]

Okay, I am not on facebook, and only recently learned what it was from these boards. So . . . in the last two days, I have received 6 emails from Facebook with friend requests from people I know and then some suggestions of other people, unrelated to the first group that I might know (which I do).

I don't understand. If you are not on Facebook, have never opened the website and don't really even know what it is, how does it get your email address and ask you to be friends.

Huh.

[trales]

I forgot to add that the whole thing feels a little Orwellian to me. I have avoided Facebook and people have found me anyway. Creepy.

[Melbel]

Facebook has a tool that allows you to search your email address books for people that are already on Facebook, or if not, that you can invite to join. I finally joined a couple of weeks ago after getting numerous requests. I am just getting the hang of it, but have already reconnected with a few long lost friends. I am also finding it somewhat fun for people that I am regularly in touch with anyway for sharing random info and pictures. I was shocked at how many people in my email list were already using Facebook.

[caheinz]

When you're on, you can have Facebook send such an email to every contact in your email address book.

I don't think that people realize that this sends the message to EVERYONE in their address book...

So, Facebook is getting it from your friends. It won't do anything else unless you sign up, and then it's always up to you whether to be "friends" with someone or not. (And you can set privacy settings so that only friends can see certain things, or friends of friends, etc.)

[tylersmama]

Just a warning, though. While there definitely are legitimate requests, and most probably are, I've been getting some spam requests that *look* like a FB request but are not. It says Joe Blow has sent you a message on Facebook, but I don't know Joe Blow. They're fairly obvious that they're fake, but just thought I would throw it out there.

ETA: If you ARE on FB, just go to your FB page and if it's a legitimate request, it will show up there. I don't click through emails to FB unless I'm absolutely positive it's legit.

[MamaKath]

Okay I agree that it is a bit wierd. But I am on there now. And I just found my goddaughter who turned 18 earlier this year and I miss horribly!!! I also love that I have a few friends on there, cousins, and now even my husband, lol.

[s7714]

I've even had WAHM sellers and places that I've ordered from in the past send me FB invites because they can't find me on FB as I use separate email accounts for purchases vs. FB. I think people just use the address book feature so they can try to reach as many people as possible. If you're not interested in FB, I'd just ignore them. Or even set up a filter so they go straight to your junk mail folder!

[ohiomom1121]

If one of your friends sends you an invite, they now have the option of sending suggestions to their FB friends to add you as a friend (even though you aren't technically on FB). I was trying to get my husband to join, and he ended up getting an invite from one of his friends, and then all of a sudden he was getting emails like, "XXXX added you as a friend". He had to go on and join to actually confirm the friend requests. I've connected with lots of old friends with Facebook, and am much better on keeping up with others this way. I love it! The fact that you have so much control over privacy on your account is nice too...and if someone adds you you don't care to have look at your stuff, just ignore the request.

[fortato]

And..if you join FB you can have conversations with people you kind of know through a friend that had a Pampered Chef party in 2002...and they remembered you because you made crude jokes...

FB is weird and crazy that way.

Or you could join and be friends with me!