ALERT: Your Facebook Friend Requests Are Not A Virus

-Error Icon- A new message is spreading around Facebook suggesting that users with numerous friend requests are actually a sign that your computer has been infected with a virus. This is factually inaccurate according to Facebook. The reason for the increased number of friend requests is a small change that Facebook made in regards to how the number of friend requests is displayed.

Users are posting messages similar to the following on their profile wall:

VIRUS WARNING: ANYONE WHO HAS GOTTEN ATON OF FRIEND SUGGESTIONS BE CAREFUL! IT IS A VIRUS! IF YOU ACCEPT THEM YOUR ACCOUNT WILL SEND OUT ABOUT 85 TO SOMEONE ELSE!!! WARN YOUR FRIENDSNOW! This is a new virus that is sending requests to spread. DO NOTACCEPT FRIEND SUGGESTIONS AT THE MOMENT!

It turns out that this information is completely false. To shed some light on the issue, Facebook sent us the following message:

This is neither a bug nor a virus, and the “Virus Alert” status update is incorrect. Friend suggestions are now mutual and will appear for both users involved. That is, if I suggest that one person become friends with another, both the person I suggested and the person to whom I sent the suggestion will receive the notification.

This is a minor change that could have a significant impact. Whenever you request a friend now, you will also receive a notification about it. This actually sounds counterintuitive which is why many users are confused. However you can rest assured that this is not a virus of any sort.

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