Oh Facebook, how we love thee.

The phenomenon of Facebook has changed the world of dating. This is sad but true. Facebook can help a crush bloom or a long distance relationship seem not so far away. It has opened up a new dimension of flirting. There are the flirtatious applications Facebook has made available to show your interest, such as the "poke" and the "super poke", but honestly who uses these except silly friends and super skeezers? Where the real virtual flirting comes into play is in Walling Postings and Messaging. The initial step, of course, is "Friending". After a night out on the town, one may wake up to find a Friend Request, which in itself is a form of flattery. A Friend Request means not only was this person in a clear enough state of mind to remember talking to you, but they enjoyed your company enough to search for you on Facebook. Walling postings like "Hey had a great time with you last night, hope to see you out soon." are common starters for Facebook relationships. You can always tell how interested the other party may be by the length of time between the posting or if they respond at all. Then there are Messages. Messages tend be a bit more of an intimate way to flirt. They are not for public view so there is usually something encrypted in the message that is not Wall material. Plus Messaging can go on for much longer than Wall Posting.
It's funny how we as young adults over analyze everything when it comes to Facebook. Whether it is a friend request or fact that someone got your AIM screen name off your profile, you usually have an idea of what meaning is behind these subtle actions. We think a Wall Posting may determine the direction a relationship is heading, or stress over the idea of making a relationship "Facebook official”. I know I have received calls from friends wanting me to approve their Facebook Wall Posts. That was a bit extreme but my point is Facebook has created a safe environment for flirting. By safe, I mean the chance of one party getting seriously hurt by rejection is lowered because the flirtatious actions are so subtle and, although a bit creepy sometimes, they are usually fairly innocent.