Inspector Facebook

When I meet someone for the first time, I was likely to ask if they had a Facebook account, if 'yes', I add 'em to my 'Friends list'. I don't do this because I'm interested in reaching the 5000 maximum limit, but to learn more about the person [especially when I'm interested in having a relationship or business]. A friend once said "Na you get time", but with what I learn about people from their FB page, I'm motivated to continue. I see a person's FB wall as a mosaic of their experiences. If you could understand and interpret it then you'll end up learning more than a person would ever tell you. I've read people's wall post as far as their first post and it felt like a journey into their past...I have to add boredom was not unrelated. You could find out their favourite food, likes, dislikes, people they had gone out with and when they broke up. One fact is what you read about a person on FB is over 90% true.

When you read a person's FB profile and you see interests like dancing, singing, writing...it's most likely to be true. Most people self-disclose on FB than to their friends. Your best friend/boyfriend/girlfriend might not know your fav. movie but if I have you on my friends list I would most likely know. Self-disclosure happen to be an important element in relationships. A difference between your friends/boyfriend/girlfriend is the level of information you wish to share BUT on FB most people share it all including phone numbers. FB is a social network with an online disinhibition effect. People get to do or say on FB what they wouldn't dare in person, that makes them more honest. If someone offend you and you express it on FB you would be so blunt. People have lost jobs and made enemies out of friends by being honest on keyboards. We do this all the time and yet unaware others do so as well. A FB friend once wrote, "I'm now ready to go, who is coming with me." The comments that followed suggested it was a party. Truth was the person was referring to committing suicide.

But FB is not the only place people express themselves, there are other social networking sites and even if you learn nothing from reading status of others, you get to be inquisitive.

I have this friend who had girlfriends ranked in the other of affection. The main focus was the number one girl. During one of my days of going through my wall I saw an update from a girl I had no idea how I added, "Now I know men can't be trusted." The statement as usual had comments. It was one that struck me, if was my friends number one gf, "So you are just finding that out, that's why it's better to have another guy by the side." I would have taken it lightly but there was no 'lol' ending the statement. She obviously meant it and that led to a question, was she cheating on my friend? Yes my friend was cheating on her and telling her he was had never crossed my mind (Penis Code). I wasn't pro cheating or believed in double standards... just don't cheat on me and my friends. I decided to find out more before raising dust.

She usually came over to my friend's place [her boyfriends'] and we just chatted. What I had planned was to go through her phone- inbox, sent items, and call list. I found the perfect opportunity and as we were gisting, I got hold of her Nokia phone, I was in my Sherlock Holmes state of mind. I noticed the call list had only one number, my friend's, which I implied she emptied it recently. I went to 'inbox' and 'sent items', they were empty except from texts she sent to her boyfriend and one other girl. I had no evidence only increased suspicion. I was about to quit when I saw an icon, 'Delivery reports'. Eureka! She obviously had no idea or forgot to empty it. There I saw people she had texted and there was a reoccuring familiar name. What I saw next made me thank the Nokia phone, the delivery reports also contained about 30 characters of the message sent but it doesn't take a genius to figure the main idea of the message. The oldest message sent to that guy was, "Thank you for telling me", I can't remember the exact words but others went like, "I'm coming", "I'm on my way,"... The icing on the cake was, "You are way better in bed than..." I was shocked, I looked over at where they were, smiling, sharing jokes, and in my mind I could see them laughing at each other. It was like he was saying 'this chic better leave soon before number two comes' while she was saying, 'in his mind this guy feels he's sharp, I'm lucky we even use condom'. They were both playing games and deceiving themselves with facial expressions. At this point Inspector Facebook was on the fence.