Social Networking Sites and the Delicate Problem of Saying No

It’s a fact. I am one of the most un-trendy people in the universe.

Why?

Well I have no interest what so ever in joining FaceBook, Quetchup, MySpace, Friends Reunited or anyone of the other gazillion social networking sites out there.

A brief flirtation with LinkedIn was the closest I got to seeing the benefit that these sites may have in a business context, but the story I heard of one individual having 1000 “friends” on one of these sites summed up the weird nature of the whole online networking exercise.

The real problem arises when one is invited to join a social networking site.

What is the protocol for letting someone down gently so as not to offend? How do you delicately tell an acquaintance that you “don’t do” online networking? Often I will receive a request from an old business colleague to join their uber network. Whilst flattered that they should think of me after all these years I somehow feel odd that the contact is facilitated via a rather impersonal email message generated by a social networking site. I am more than happy to chat to old friends and colleagues, but somehow would sooner do it directly than be another name in their expanding list of contacts.

So here you have it, a request from a grumpy old git that can’t get “with it” anymore. To my dear old friends and colleagues—please do get in touch, I would love to hear from you but please use my email address—it’s on the Bloor site!