New Facebook friends

Topics/tags: Miscellaneous, social media, short

Yesterday, three distinguished computer science educators friended me on Facebook. One is soon to receive a significant award, one is among the most influential and energetic [1] young computer scientists I know, as well as a leading force in diversifying the discipline, and one is chair of a major conference. They are all are professional friends [2]. Hence, in some sense, it’s not surprising that they connected on Facebook; But it’s strange that it happened on the same day.

Did the Facebook algorithm suddenly decide to suggest me to people? Did someone we know in common say You should friend Sam on Facebook, he posts a mediocre but occasionally amusing piece of writing each day? Are they all fake accounts through which someone is trying to infiltrate the CS education community? Is it one of those coincidences [5] that naturally happen? Probably the last.

Oh well, I’ll treat it as another one of those mysteries of life. Or at least one of those mysteries of Facebook.

[1] I hear that they are now at Dan Garcia numbers in terms of annual submissions to SIGCSE.

[2] No, that doesn’t mean that their profession is friend. It means that we know each other through our professions and regularly speak at professional meetings. [3]

[3] I feel I’ve made that joke way too many times already. [4]

[4] Yes, the air quotes around joke are necessary.

[5] Or coinky-dinks, as some pronounce it.

Version 1.0 of 2018-10-31.