ABSTRACT
238“Friend request accepted!” If you have a Facebook account, you're probably pleased when you receive this message. The explosion of online communities like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter has created numerous relationship opportunities for subscribers. These websites enable users to connect with old friends and network with new friends. In fact, relationships sometimes develop more quickly when people communicate online rather than face-to-face (Hian, Chuan, Trevor, & Detenber, 2004). Unfortunately, the relative ease and anonymity of these online relationships can sometimes make it difficult to maintain appropriate boundaries. Because individuals sometimes share private information about themselves in this context, like their email address, phone number, and relationship status, people can easily get information about an acquaintance that might not be readily shared in a face-to-face interaction. Many students admit to “Facebook stalking” when they want to find out information about a potential crush or track the relationship status of a previous romantic partner, and many students consider this to be a normal and even acceptable by-product of belonging to online social networks.
