like me, Like Me, LIKE ME!!!

I’m not sure how anyone else feels about this, but I’m getting really tired of what Facebook has morphed into and the entire Like Me, Like Me, Friend Me requests thing. There’s nothing wrong with having a button to allow people to express that they do, in fact, like someone or some business. However, there is something sadly pathetic about people or businesses that have to send out emails to other people, some of who they really don’t even know, asking them to “Like Me” on Facebook or be my Friend.

If I know you or your business, I may “Like you” or it may just be that my feelings about you or your business are not strong enough to push the “Like Me” button.  Ironically the people sending those messages out really don’t care whether you like them or not; they are just trying to build up Like Me points within Facebook. Sad.

I’ve also got mixed emotions about the Friend Request thing on Facebook. I suppose it does serve a purpose to help one connect with others that you know; however, it too has been abused. I get Friend Requests from people that I barely know or don’t know at all. I always feel a little bad about ignoring those requests from people that I don’t know; but, then I think what difference does it make if I somehow offend someone I’ve never met by refusing their Friend request? Even worse is having to Unfriend someone because of their behavior - perhaps posting offensive stuff to your Wall or adding inappropriate comments to post strings. I imagine that they are sent a notice that they’ve been unfriended or that they will notice that they are no longer able to post to my Wall. Awkward!

Recently a new Facebook-wanna-be app has apparently been added to Yahoo that also has a like me, follow me, be my Friend feature, only with a new twist – it’s aggressive about it. I’ve been getting really annoying emails lately reminding me how many days it’s been since a certain person sent me their Friend Request. It’s not that I don’t like that person, I hardly know them; and, I’m not sure that I want to be listed among their Friends. One reason is that Yahoo would undoubtedly use that Friend information as an indication that I want other stuff emailed to me, which I don’t.

So now we have Internet apps that are getting as aggressive as a bad bill collector about bugging you to do something. I’m sure that I don’t LIKE that. I suppose that all of these sites – Facebook included – will eventually peter out as people move on to other things or get tired of what they’ve become. I imagine that most people didn’t sign up for a Facebook account because they wanted to be constantly tracked and attacked with unrequested and unwanted advertising and Friend or Like requests. Instant Messaging is also experiencing an increase in aggressive, push-based marketing, which at least one can opt out of rather easily; however, there, too, the sender is notified that you opted out. Sorry!

So how much of my personal issues with these things are just indications that I’m becoming an old curmudgeon? I’m not sure. I still believe that the Internet is a great place to find information about just about anything and I use it a lot for that. I’m just not one to excitedly share every detail of my life on public forums like Facebook or Twitter.  They may have served a useful purpose as they were originally envisioned. I’m just not sure about what they seem to be becoming. How about you?