Trust Among Friends on Facebook – Bits – Technology – New York Times Blog

Dr. Media says, now we’re talkin. Finally the idea that people want to trust one another surfaces. You mean that there are those who would rather not be inundated with recommendations from their”friends”.Now we come to the next level of differentiation which the net pushes us towards, TASTES. The net allows for the expression and individualization of taste in a a manner never seen before. Take a look at dating sites, they really let you try to find Ms.or Mr. Right, or at least feed your narcissistic delusion that you can.

Trust Among Friends on Facebook – Bits – Technology – New York Times Blog

November 8, 2007, 1:24 pm
Trust Among Friends on Facebook

By Laura M. Holson

Tags: Facebook

I was struck Wednesday reading Louise Story’s article on Facebook’s new service which would allow users of the social networking site to broadcast ads to their so-called “friends.” I think this new advertising push is going to redefine friendship on Facebook.

Here’s why. When my best friend Kathy calls me to say I should rush to Nordstrom because cashmere sweaters are on sale, I trust her because she knows what I like. But that’s not necessarily so among “friends” on Facebook who are oftentimes better described as acquaintances.

A case in point. I had dinner the other night with some pals and the conversation turned, as it sometimes does, to dating. In this case a woman had met a man she found mildly attractive until she was invited to be his “friend” on Facebook. It was a turnoff, not only did he have too many friends by her standards ­ 65 ­ but 90 percent of them were women. Worse, when she logged onto Facebook last Sunday at 8 a.m., she found her “friend” had already posted pictures from Saturday night on his page. Did I mention he was in his 40s?

“Loser,” said one of the gals at dinner as she tucked into a tomato tart. The woman agreed.

So here is the dilemma for a marketer. This man is the kind of Facebook user, someone with a lot of friends who likes to share, who would likely authorize a retailer to give information to his “friends” about his recent purchases. But it is unlikely the woman, who turned down his offer for a date, would buy anything he recommended. Instead she wants to de-friend him.

Ouch.

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