5 Minutes for Facebooking - Caveat Facebook Emptor

Ok, so I'm sitting out of Facebook for awhile. Originally, it was because I was getting in some late summer cottaging, now it's because apparently in Facebook's view I have too many friends.

Rest assured friends - you did not say something wrong to me at a party, I have not found some new anti-social religion and changed my name nor am I wringing my hands of the whole world to social networking (on the contrary, this is told me how dependent I had become) and I most assuredly did not de-friend you.

Facebook has sent me to the social network equivalent of the penalty box to think about my sins. I now recognize Facebook's version of social is lower case not UPPER CASE when it comes to social networking. Make friends just don't make too many. I also now understand fully whatever I post on any social network is their content, their photos, their list of connections and their  way of doing business,  but please, have some respect for the energy people invest in your product. 

Here's the piss off factor (are your ready for the whine?), this experience has told me my once great love Facebook - puts on their pants like nearly every other company:
- no official policy on what gets you kicked off (no member rights)
- in this case, no accompanying warning before I got bumped off (very Soprano-like)
- no formal proceeding on how to get your account back (no ombudsmanship)
- some of the more genuine and hardcore users of Facebook get sent off - not a great word of mouth strategy to piss off your best customers (no community building)
- it's now been 36 hours and no answer/sense of when I'll get it back (no service orientation)
- Bebo and LinkedIn aren't nearly as punitive in taking down its members and still maintain a high integrity  (a competitive flaw discovered)
- no official blog forum or human element on what other people have done in similar situations (no forum for debate)
- when i return (I've been told these episodes as first time misconducters last 36 hours to a few days), likely I'll be on pins and needles on what activity i should or should not do in the future - I feel like a member with a bad credit rating (no openness)
- and finally, if you dependent on Facebook , as i had become for certain surrogate forms of  emails and Facebook relationships, continued disablement forces people to put fake profiles to try to get access to time sensitive information or contacts (leading to reduced openness and transparency)

Think I'm alone. I know of at least 4 well-respected social media friendly friends including Guy Kawasaki of all people that have spent time in the box - their only issue - they loved Facebook too much.  So I feel like I'm in distinguished company.  Based on these five posts below, my lot in life, is perhaps better than some.
http://www.allfacebook.com/2007/08/when-facebook-closes-your-account/
http://akumukun.com/?p=142
http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index.php?qid=20070710104523AApAnFU
http://prez.wordpress.com/2006/10/16/facebook-has-a-post-limit/
http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2007/07/disabled-by-fac.html

So imagine organizing a massive group, charity/cause or an event principally through Facebook and then being told to get lost, what a horrible loss of sweat and reputation equity.  I've learned my lesson the hard way...Caveat Facebook Emptor - let the Facebook social networker beware, always have a back up plan and always know, you're not the one in charge when your on someone else's network - no matter how complimentary  or influential you are.

Please 1% Army, Influencers, Trendspotters, Social Superfriends, Go-ites and Merchants of Influence - we're experiencing technical difficulties - hope to resolve soon and be at your service shortly.

And to you Facebook - I still love you but why do you have to be so cruel and more importantly, when are we getting back together?

P.S. I've learned through this odyssey that it would appear you can join a max. of 200 Facebook groups, have 3,600 friends, get three strikes and you're out for good and perform a maximum amount of posts, pokes, emails, stored stuff or friend acquisition before your penaltied