Isn’t it the case for heavy web users and marketeers (with ‘regular’ Facebook users assumed to be about 6 months behind the curve) that all kinds of activity is acceptable across social networks that is not fit for everyday life?

i.e. Marketing to a friend network. Try this at a real social gathering! I could never, ever countenance such slimy behaviour, but on Facebook it’s par for the course to plug yourself relentlessly, taking advantage of both ‘transitive trust’ and a wide network who might be listening.

But they’re not. You’re as likely to get their attention as a drunk at a real party. Your ‘trusted in’ gets you through the door but blabbing about a product puts you instantly in the ‘white noise’ category. The fact that you have mutual friends just indicates how popular everyone at the party is, to flog the metaphor, and with so many sexy people around why listen to the sleazy drunk mumbling about themselves?

Trust is a cherished concept for marketeers, but being allowed to post on a friend’s wall or rabbit on in a Facebook space is not the same as having a real evangelist for your product. Facebook actually dissipates trust – nobody is going to diss you for gabbing on Facebook, but they’re not going to care!

Maybe (hopefully) I’m wrong. At the very least, perhaps the many, many hours of gabbing I’ve done have created brand recognition. But I’m damned if I would trust anything on Facebook. Nope.