My Facebook Friend Requests Have Skyrocketed Since the Shutdown But I Can’t Find a Connection

I'm old enough to remember when 12 years was SUPPOSED to be a long time. But it's been 12 years since I created a Facebook account and that is just really hard to believe.

In that time span, like most Facebook users, my friend list has grown considerably, although I AM lagging behind several of my friends.

It appears, on average, I've accepted just over 100 friend requests a year since I signed on. Man, that sounds like a lot. But at the current rate of requests I've gotten in the past week and a half, my average is looking to skyrocket.

Now, I'm not sounding any alarm bells because, for one thing, if there's nothing behind this mild phenomenon--like, say, a hack attempt or a hoax--then there isn't anything to worry about.

But I'd have to be headless not to notice the dramatic uptick in friend requests I've received since Facebook shut down for about six hours on October 4th. I'm not kidding. I'm average about three new friend requests a day. And they are not all from people I don't know. That's right, sometimes it'll be like, "Oh wow, I haven't heard THAT name in forever." In fact, it makes me check the list to see if I'm not getting a "double friend request."

Actually, I found something about "double friend requests" and was curious to see if it would help me come up with a solution, but no. I mean, it IS a hoax, according to Mental Floss, but it doesn't sound like it has anything to do with all these friend requests.

Again, I'm checking the tone of this story to make sure it doesn't sound like I'm freaking out; I'm not. But it's weird. Prior to 10/4, I bet friend requests would come in once or twice a week. Now it's daily.

Maybe it has something to do with the DATE of the Facebook shutdown. You know, 10/4? As in "ten-four, good buddy." CB lingo. Good buddy. Friend requests.

Yeah, now I'm getting silly. Never mind.