I recently found out that my boyfriend of a year and I aren't “official” because we're not “In a relationship” with each other on Facebook. In the same day, a friend went from being “In a relationship” to being “Single” after only a week of dating.
This is just one example of the countless social phenomena surrounding Facebook—-the now 350 million-strong social networking site that's growing by 600,000 users a day worldwide. Facebook is becoming the premier venue for promoting your birthday party, drudging up your elementary school crush, and “poking” your cousin in Tampa. Oh, and most importantly: validating your young relationship to an audience of 350 million.
This article appears in Dec 2-8, 2009.
