Friend requests from total strangers

BabichevBabichev
in General

Is it common to get friend requests from people you've never received a message from and have never met in the forums? I just discovered friend requests from total strangers - one a pro, the other not identified as such but they sound a bit peculiar. I'm not inclined to respond to friend requests from people I've had no contact with.

And apparently we now have a male pro in St. Louis.

Comments

  • [Deleted User]JLM (deleted user)

    I think it’s just people trying to build their Rolodex but it’s strange to send a friend request to somebody you’ve never spoken to. So I think it’s benign but odd.

  • mickcuddlemickcuddle

    @Babichev I had a friend request the other day from a pro whose name I recognize from the forums. I looked, she had scores of friends, many of which I also recognize from the forums. So I accepted her request. In retrospect, you’re right; by friending a stranger, we give the false impression to those who may be curious about that pro. But no real harm, I guess.

  • MelancholyMelancholy

    I don't think it's the same as Facebook friends. It doesn't give you access to anything else like a personal wall so it's not a big deal.
    I don't send them often but I wouldn't worry about it

  • ReltvlyCanshesReltvlyCanshes

    Yeah I’ve friend requested people before getting responses to my initial message. Maybe i should rethink that. I didn’t think i was getting more information and i was just trying to build a network. I guess maybe i should rethink that.

  • [Deleted User]JLM (deleted user)

    You really aren’t getting a lot of information by friending somebody on here. But to me it’s something I would only do with somebody I’ve interacted with directly. Or if I wanted to contact them directly about something they said in the message boards that I liked and it evolved from there.

  • CatloafCatloaf

    Agree with @melancholy. I don't even have social media anymore and that's the place where lines start to get crossed. I don't mind being anyone's friend on here because they can't glean much from a profile on one site. When someone sends me a request, sometimes it's because they liked something I've posted, or we have traded a couple messages back and forth. Everyone has their preference but it doesn't come off as creepy to me or anything. Getting random adds has never been a new concern in the world of online connection...remember how many you had on MyYearbook or MySpace back in the day? In the context of modern social media, a random request would be far more invasive of privacy in my opinion, given the sensitive info you can find about others on such sites.

  • BabichevBabichev

    I'm fine with getting friend requests with people I've interacted with on the forums. It seems odd to me that someone local who has never contacted me in any way should send a request. In the case of the pro, it's possible it might be either an attempt to let me know they are there or to make it appear they have a bunch of friends. In the other case, I have no idea what's up.

    I think if someone wants to be my "friend" they should at least introduce themselves first.

    No big deal. I don't find it creepy, just odd. "Friend" implies to me that I know them.

  • laylanielaylanie

    @Babichev Ngl I sent you one just because I see you through the forums so often and like what you have to say and probably should have sent a personal message to give you a heads up. Though of course I can understand the "who the freak is this" adds. I get a few of those and just reject them.

  • pmvinespmvines

    Happens to me sometimes. Depending on the person i will go ahead and acceot it. I attribute it to the social media culture. If i send a friend request it is only after having decided we both get along adequately enough, and i always ask permission first.

  • SideonSideon

    While friend requests might be considered flattering, I'm also wary of anyone sending a request with whom I haven't messaged or interacted with on the forums. I don't care if it's a simple "hi," but blind friend requests? Thank you, next.

  • UKGuyUKGuy

    @melancholy - friending someone gives them access to any photos you've marked 'for friends only'.

  • BabichevBabichev

    Hey, @laylanie , you're fine! At least we've "met" in the forums!

    I don't know what is the point of these other requests, though. If they want to be my friend, they have to talk to me!

  • [Deleted User]DarrenWalker (deleted user)

    Whenever I get a friend request from somebody I've never spoken to, I tend to assume that they like my profile, or the stuff I say in the forums, or both, and accept without really thinking about it too much. I guess I tend to treat those as fan requests rather than friend requests....

    There's not a limit on how many "friends" you can have, is there?

  • TheFunCartelTheFunCartel

    I will friend request everyone on this thread.

  • mickcuddlemickcuddle

    @FunCartel ....waiting. ?

  • TheFunCartelTheFunCartel

    Your wait is over my possible friend.

  • ReltvlyCanshesReltvlyCanshes

    Waiting @FunCartel

  • TheFunCartelTheFunCartel

    Done and done

  • ReltvlyCanshesReltvlyCanshes

    Yay!

  • TheFunCartelTheFunCartel

    You will now experience........

    something.

  • [Deleted User]DarrenWalker (deleted user)

    @FunCartel: Hmm. What happens if, rather than waiting, we... [visits profile, sends friend request]

  • [Deleted User]DarrenWalker (deleted user)

    @FunCartel: Yay!

  • mickcuddlemickcuddle

    @FunCartel I’m happy now

  • ColouredCrayonsColouredCrayons

    Kinda with @Babichev on this one. I don't accept friend requests from ppl that don't introduce themselves or people I don't know on some level. Mostly because it indicates that you "know/like" some other user. If somebody is like hey I saw you're friends with xyz are they cool? I can actually say something meaningful.

  • BabichevBabichev

    @DarrenWalker - "Whenever I get a friend request from somebody I've never spoken to, I tend to assume that they like my profile, or the stuff I say in the forums, or both, and accept without really thinking about it too much. I guess I tend to treat those as fan requests rather than friend requests....

    There's not a limit on how many "friends" you can have, is there?"

    Interesting point. That happens to me on FB. In my professional life, I'm very active in professional forums. Lots of people read what I write. It did not occur to me that there may be lurkers reading the forums and wanting to "friend" me. However, if they are reading the forums, then they should be reading this. So hey, lurkers, if you want to be my friend, you gotta message me first and tell me why, okay? ;-)

    @LeeS " I don't accept friend requests from ppl that don't introduce themselves or people I don't know on some level. Mostly because it indicates that you "know/like" some other user. If somebody is like hey I saw you're friends with xyz are they cool? I can actually say something meaningful."

    That's how I think. Obviously, others think differently. I'll accept that maybe it isn't that weird, but I've got my preferences.

    @mickcuddle "I’m happy now"

    Oh, good, because when you're happy, we're all happier. ;-) Or at least I am. ;-)

  • TheFunCartelTheFunCartel

    How come I cannot friend myself? I can be friends with others but not myself. My god this site is leading me into an existential crisis.

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