20-40-60 Etiquette---Friending on Facebook?

QUESTION: If you have barely begun dating someone, how do you handle “friending” that person on Facebook? Do you accept a request to be friends immediately, after a few dates or when you’re in a serious relationship?

Can you accept a friend request but then use privacy settings to restrict some of that person’s access to your profile? Basically, I’m trying to figure out if you’re interested in someone but not ready to share your whole Facebook life with them, how do you maintain some distance on Facebook without putting the brakes on the new relationship?

CALLIE’S ANSWER: You are putting SO much thought into this! I would say do what you feel is right. Yes, there are privacy settings to block certain things from people.

Although, what is the point of “friending” the person or “accepting them as a friend” if you can’t do some digging and creeping? If all else fails, just simply don’t “friend them or accept them.“

LILLIE-BETH’S ANSWER:Part of the answer depends on how you use Facebook. For many, the social media site has become a catchall for all contacts — ranging from acquaintances to real friends — so adding one more person to your friend list doesn’t have to cause so much consternation. For me, it works better if I limit what I share online anyway so I don’t have to worry about revealing too much or saying something I’d regret if the wrong person saw it.

If you’re not sure whether to “friend” a new dating interest on Facebook, then do nothing and wait and see if they send you a request. If you say “no” to being friends online, then accept that the person may take your move as a general rejection. With privacy settings, you can also secretly restrict some of that person’s access to parts of your profile, like your status updates or even your photos.