One of the key features of Facebook is the relationship status indicator. Mine is set to married and I don’t plan on ever changing it! However, among the high school and college crowd, changing that indicator from single to in a relationship is a big deal. It’s the 2007 equivalent of giving your girlfriend your class ring. Facebook is how kids today announce to the world that they are either taken or on the market. I’ll give the kids this. It’s certainly cheaper than handing over a $200 ring or $100 jacket that you may not get back if you really piss her off in the breakup!
It gets more complicated though. In order to couple yourself to another Facebook member, both parties much confirm. So connecting yourself romantically to a girl only to have her reject it is the Facebook equivalent of not having your ring accepted. Other dangers would include having your date for this weekend see that you are listed as in a relationship with somebody else, or listing yourself as single when your date has other ideas about your availability. It’s certainly a lot more complicated these days. However, I can see how the transparency of being expected to maintain that status on a global network would promote a certain level of honesty in the dating game. In fact, had Facebook existed when I was in college, my first date with my wife may have never happened. It would have depended on her willingness to be the other woman. However, that story really doesn’t need to be repeated here!
