Does Facebook Kill Friendships? A Response to the WSJ Article

Last week the Wall St. Journal ran an interesting article, "How Facebook Ruins Friendships," which I commented on in a post entitled, Seinfeld Said Answering Machines Prolonged Friendships Past Thier Expiration Dates; WSJ Says Same about Facebook.

Turns out one person who was quoted in the Journal article actually doesn't feel Facebook ruins friendships. Yianni Garcia, a consultant who helps companies use social media (but whose blog does not actually make it easy to find his name), wrote a rebuttal, "WSJ Misses The Point on Facebook and Relationship Piece."

I'm not sure where I fall in this debate. I know Facebook enabld me to find people I used to be in touch with and others find me. But I also think it prolongs some relationships longer than necessary. And I do know for sure that some people share more info via Facebook than they would share even around a water cooler (does anyone gather around a water cooler anymore?).

What do you think? Is Facebook friend or foe?

Seinfeld Said Answering Machines Prolonged Friendships Past Thier Expiration Dates; WSJ Says Same about Facebook

Elizabeth Bernstein wrote a terrific article in today's WSJ about Facebook, making the point that Facebook prolongs or has revived friendships way past their expiration dates.

I made some similar points in the Boston Herald back in Feb. 2009, "Virtual world of trouble."

But it's always nice to be validated by the Wall St. Journal.