Aaron Brazell is talking about it in "Friends vs Fans" and Jared Goralnick talks about it in "Avoiding the online popularity contest to seek a deeper connection".

It all boils down to:  What is a friend?

There are some people on social networks that seem to add everyone and anyone they have ever, will ever, or ever want to meet.  This gives the massive networks of people whom they don't know at all or know in passing.  This seems to be the most common on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Personally, I approach it a bit differently...

It seems like this question is being kicked around more and more lately. If you're active online at all, you've seen people talk about it. If you've been to any web conferences, you've heard people talk about it. If you're in any type of social media, you've caught everything you might want to know. It seems like every group, organization, and everyone who dreams of social media success is asking...

So... is Facebook good for your business?

Probably not.

Not the answer you expected huh? You thought that as a PHP developer active in the space, a connector who's happily introducing friends and colleagues, and someone who's neck deep in social media would say the exact opposite.... well, not quite.

There are many scenarios and business for which a Facebook Application just doesn't make sense. For example, if you run a neighborhood bar with a group of local regulars, having a one doesn't make much sense. If you run a basic news site or blog, syndicating your content to Facebook doesn't require your own app. Don't waste your time.

Many of us online make fun of the Mainstream Media for their lack of understanding and willingness to engage online. We've seen bloggers hammer at their credibility. We've seen Craigslist eat away at their classifieds revenue. And even Google is going into the local advertising markets. I even know a few newsroom types that are actively encouraging their interns and newly minted interns to pursue other fields... or atleast look at their field in a new way. So seeing the New York Times innovate shows that a few are geting it.

If you haven't seen it, this week the New York Times released their first Facebook Application: New York Times News Quiz. The crew at ValleyWag (h/t to them) believes this is a shameless ploy
to get Facebook users to consider the NYT relevant again - which it probably is - but the benefits are also useful.