Yesterday when discussing the extent to which the media, particularly social media affects our ability to connect with others, the conversation of facebook friends arose. Thus, so did the question, “are facebook friends even real?”

I began thinking about the hundreds  (I don’t mean to brag) of friends I have on facebook, and whether I’d say “hi” to them on the street, let alone have a coffee with them. The short answer is no fricken way. It has come to the point where I’ll add someone if I vaguely remember them from an old photo in kindergarten or if they are a potential “love interest” my (real life) friend wants me to stalk and give the tick of approval to. So basically we aren’t all friends in the traditional sense of the word.

But on the bright side;facebook has allowed me to befriend, and become close to many people I would not have approached in real life. I have friends who I chat with regularly on facebook, but never seem to see in real life. Online chatting removes that awkward barrier in real life conversations making me feel like a social master in disguise. Theres no worry of making too much eye contact or choking on my last word of “do you want to hang out some time?” With my exclusively online friends: the level intensity varies from sending vile stickers back and forth to emotive “deep and meaningful” conversations of life stuff. These friends are always there for me (active on chat) and I feel secure when I see that green dot of comfort meaning that they will respond in at least a minute. If not, that would just be rude because I KNOW THEY ARE THERE.

In the end, we have to accept that a new kind of intangible but ever present ‘friend’ has been created by the digital age;and remember that facebook chats may allow you to say more, but it also allows you to hide more.