I have this rule, well, it’s more of a guideline than a rule …regarding social media. Facebook specifically.
This is the guideline:
When I get a friend request from someone on Facebook (or maybe LinkedIn, recruiters love to connect to you so they can comb through potential leads), I usually will add that person. More times than not, I know, or knew the person. I usually like to see more than the default message text. I like to see something personal, something that tells me this person really wants to connect to me (I’m old-fashioned, I know).
After around 6 months (hell even 3), if that person has not added any value to my life, or contributed in some way, I delete them from my friends.
I know what you’re thinking, yes, I’m pretty badass.
When I say ‘contribute’ this means at the very least, posting interesting status messages*, or great photographs, or addictive Youtube videos.
This doesn’t include asking me to be a vampire or werewolf.

*The art of a good status message can be traced back to when good away messages on AIM were the mark of a good online person. This topic is wonderfully exhausted in the book, Where There’s A Will, There’s Away… Messages: A 21st Century Guide to the Art of Absence (disclosure – the author is my brother).