Should I accept a Facebook "friends" request from someone I don't know?

Read this and it might answer your question.

http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/02/facebook-privacy/

Only if you think you want that person seeing whatever information you have private, think she’d be interesting enough to bother with, and are sure it’s not a scam.

People add me everyday, I mainly decline, because they are normally my internet stalker fanbase.. lol

I only add people I have actually met before.

I wouldn’t, but then again I don’t have Facebook so what would I know?

You could start talking to them randomly and strike up a good relationship, or you could never speak with them at all. As long as you remember that at the end of the day you don’t ‘know’ this person, then there is no harm in accepting.

As long as you keep your private shit private, go for it. Hell everybody, add me.

@Flo_Nightengale Thanks for the link. Great point.

I don’t use Facebook and on the previous site I was on, such things were by mutual consent, so I chose not to use the “friend list”. Here you have no choice so I just play along but will not add someone unless they add me first. Apparantly Facebook has a function where if someone is designated as a “friend” they have access to more information about you than an ordinary user. I would be extremely cautious about using that, if at all.

Do you have mutual friends? If so, you might contact them to get some background on the person.

If not, maybe message the requester and ask what led them to contact you. It probably wasn’t totally random – maybe there’s some connection you’re not aware of.

I wouldn’t, you don’t know if this person is who they say they are or if they are just your little stalker friends. If you feel that you wish to share your information with this person then, thats completely up to you. Also, once you become friends with them, if you chose to become friends with them, you can see their updates too. But, these are just the possibilities, it’s your decision.

um NO! thats when people start breaking into your house and stalking you. the only people that should be your friends on facebook are the people you are ACTUALLY friends (or highschool/college friends from long ago) and thats it.

I don’t have Facebook anymore as MySpace, Fluther, My Wrestling Group, and Twetter keep me busy enough…

However;; We CAN be over cautious… Look at the profile of the person asking you .. IF they have been more or less OPEN about themselves ... have pics etc .. it can’t hurt… Just be careful NOT to ever give out personal info… like city, address, phone # , etc…

Not when you’re doing “illegal” things like drinking and smoking while you reside in the [cough] most free country in the world.

Sure and while you are at it open *every email you ever get and never change you pass words that way all your new friends will be able to really get to know you!

There’s no reason why you should “have to” accept anyone’s friend request, whether you know him or her or not. You are not obligated to accept anyone. It’s completely up to you who you accept and who you do not.

I don’t. I post personal things on Facebook that I only want my friends and family seeing. I don’t want people I don’t know knowing what I’m doing later today, or about a party at my house.

I think that if maybe you wouldn’t want it to be like a myspace then no. Because all the people I know that have a myspace tend to just add and add without knowing who the hell those people are. If you don’t care, then it’s up to you. Facebook is a better networking entity that allows you to actually be closer.myspace has a ways to go before doing that.

I never do.I only accept requests from people I know

If i don’t know their name, i don’t know their game.

NO>

I never, ever friend someone who I don’t know who they are. Period.

Mystery solved. The invite included a very tiny image which was too small to make out. I screen captured it and blew it up in Paintshop Pro. It was a very nubile and naked-chested lady with a cell phone in one hand making a call-me sign with her free hand. Facebook has already nuked the account. Looks like someone angling to sell phone sex. Glad I played the cautions doubter.

Another lesson learned and another soul saved. Internet, is there anything you can’t do?

God Bless us everyone!

No.

Sometimes there is more safety in a wealth of information, than targeted partial information. But as per first post, facebook allows you a very detailed privacy configuration.

I would add, make a friend, find out why – if not compatible I may bother and remove the person. Or they will remove me first, saves me the trouble :)

No, the person that is adding you may not be who they really say. Do you really want them popping up in your newsfeed if you don’t know them anyways?

She is a potential gateway toward employment. Any potential friend with a job could help you get a job.

I prefer adding friends I’ve met in real life, but if that mystery friend is of some helpful value somehow, then I’d say go for it. Good luck and have fun, @ETpro.

Thanks, @ENGOfAB I decided that for my purposes, I will keep Facebook to people I actually know or am introduced to through friends. Seems like a growing number of marketers are using it as yet another way to spread advertising I would label spam by sending out friendship invitations to massive numbers of people..