Facebook "friending": I don't get it.

could just be a coincidence, if you're name is common enough...

Recently it's turned into some kind of underworld/farming gaming forum.

will someone adopt this damn brown cow




and help my mafia please

One downside to Facebook:

A person I know has been posting updates -- she was in the hospital for pneumonia. She has some weird growth on her scalp, they're doing tests. She doesn't know what's up. She just got back from the hospital, but still isn't up to much, out of breath quickly. All within the last week; I posted some sort of commiseration for one or two. Then today: looking forward to volunteering at school! (Her daughter is in the same grade but a different class than mine.) Ack.

I'm not much for Facebook. I have an account in my real name and have exactly 2 friends. Often I have friend suggestions -- friends of these 2 friends that Facebook wonders if I'd like to befriend. Recently a person was suggested who is not known to either of my friends. It is an acquaintance from my university days and someone I have not seen in many years. This person has not asked to be my friend -- Facebook has suggested them. How was this link made?

I'm still figuring it out but I think it has to do with who has searched for YOU.

Ah, I wondered about that.

I had a friendship request on facebook from a Lord Elpus, but I did not accept, because I felt someone was trying to practical joke me. The a2k Lord Elpus and I never really had any meaningful personal exchanges, so I can't see him searching me out.

when I was trying to locate brendalee's nephew, I had to go through 82 people with one name, 60+ with the other he might have been going by

when I was trying to find the woman whose wallet Set had found, there were over a dozen with the same name

found 'em both without actually having to 'speak' to any of the wrong people, but if either of them had had tighter security settings, I would have had to send messages/requests to a lot more people

Facebook looks at the information you have put onto your profile. In this case, i'm guessing you put the university you went to somewhere. Facebook then finds friends who have also gone to that school, and they try to make it in the same year.

I think the "who searched for you" aspect applies as well. One woman, in particular, who never paid me for work I did a few years ago, showed up as a suggested friend. I did not know her prior to working with her and we don't seem to know the same people so...

Nope. My profile is virtually empty. I'm thinking someone must have been looking for me, even if they didn't ask to be friends.