Facebook friends with a stranger?

[Ukrainia]

So yesterday I sent a friends request to someone I did not know. Previously, I was on looking on the profile of a friend, and kind of randomely - well, she was cute so not totally random - I decided to click on one of her friends profiles. Just at a cursory glance at her profile, I could tell she was very attractive, a superb athlete and extremely intelligent - all things that I value in a girl. So I sent a friend request and she accepted. There is little chance we become actual friends and even less that we'll actually date, but I figured there was no risk to it, and, however minimal, there is a chance it'll end up as a positive.

I think what I did was perfectly fine. I'm curious if you have a different view, and if so why? What would be the difference, for instance, if I had struck up a conversation with such a girl in some other place like a museum, an airplane, on the beach or any other place. My point is that starting a friendship with someone through the internet, isn't any more or less moral than starting a friendship with someone in real life. To get to know someone you have to progress from being stangers to becoming friends. And morally, there is no difference between using the computer as a medium to do that, or doing it face to face.

Thoughts?

 

[Ukrainia]

I could add that it's no different than making a friend through Christian Forums. When I've made friends in the past, I've enjoyed their posts, sent them a message or two and have asked if they would want to chat on AIM or Skype. Using Facebook to do that is really the same thing.

 

[Riot Riot Riot]

I don't see anything wrong with it. For some reason people always think that friend requests from people you don't know automatically mean those people are creepers. Or just want to be nosy and stuff. But if they don't have anything compromising on their profiles, why should they be creeped out?

It's no different than meeting someone at the park while walking your dog. Except it just happens to be online, and you already might know a few little details about her.

 

[Verve]

I've made a few good IRL friends through facebook friends. One of them honestly, just because she and I liked the same comic. I don't see how it's a problem.

 

[Ukrainia]

I don't see anything wrong with it. For some reason people always think that friend requests from people you don't know automatically mean those people are creepers. Or just want to be nosy and stuff. But if they don't have anything compromising on their profiles, why should they be creeped out?

It's no different than meeting someone at the park while walking your dog. Except it just happens to be online, and you already might know a few little details about her.

Ya, totally agree with this. Their are of course creepers on the internet and so it pays to be judicious with your choice of who you talk to online. But what some people fail to realize is that is no different than making friends face to face.

 

[IreneAdler]

I only accept "stranger" friend requests on referral from someone else, and don't make them myself (but I have kids and have to be more careful than most people). I have two gentlemen on my page that I don't know IRL but were (through discussion) introduced to me and I've enjoyed their posts alot.

 

[Riot Riot Riot]

Ya, totally agree with this. Their are of course creepers on the internet and so it pays to be judicious with your choice of who you talk to online. But what some people fail to realize is that is no different than making friends face to face.

Exactly.
And people also fail to realize that if they don't want any information shared with strangers in the first place, you can make your entire profile completely private.