She has a novel way of meeting strangers. She doesn't have to muster up the courage to walk up to someone and say "hello" with a smile, and then get a cold shoulder. Nor does she need to worry about meeting a nameless and potentially dangerous Internet pal. All she has to do is click a button on a US-based social networking website.

"I love finding or making friends on this website because everyone on it uses a real identity," says Mandy Li. "It gives me a strong sense of trust and safety."

So what are we talking about? Is it the traditional BBS or blogs, which are full of nicknames and false identities?

No, it is Facebook.com.

Facebook is today home to more than 34 million people, many of who are or were university students. And 23-year-old Li is one of them.

Users on Facebook communicate with their friends, post information and photographs about their life and network for internships and job opportunities. They can add friends by simply asking another user's permission. If their request is granted, they'll be able to access the profile of their new "friend" - as well as the names of his or her friends.

All this is fine, but where do Chinese come into a website used essentially by Americans? Facebook is now open to users outside the US, and young Chinese are joining up fast. Users on other China-based sites that offer similar options (and require real identities too) have been increasing. Xiaonei.com that admits students through a real-name verification system is one of them.

China University for Political Sciences and Law's mass communication expert Zhang Jiang says the "real identity" criterion is a huge step forward. "Use of real names is essential for creating a healthy online social networking system. It prevents people from defrauding and playing tricks."

In fact, the main reason people avoid making friends online is the fear of fraud, according to a 2005 survey conducted by iResearch, a market research firm that studies online behavior. About 56.7 percent of the respondents to the survey doubted the authenticity of online profiles, with 43.7 percent of them saying they feared for their safety while making friends through the Net.

But websites like Facebook.com and Xiaonei.com are different. Dalian Maritime University student Bai Dong says he's at ease when he meets new users on Xiaonei.com. Xiaonei has made his routine life much more colorful. Besides simply exchanging messages online with new friends, he has joined them for offline activities too "because they're mostly from a similar education background and (seem) reliable."

For instance, Bai participates in the "moviegoers" network, discussing recent blockbusters with other members. He'll even meet some of his new friends and go to a movie with them. "The group members are listed according to their schools and majoring subjects so I can find people from the same school easily."

Shanghai-based white-collar worker Liu Yue has benefited from Facebook's real-name system in a different way. She used the site to find two of her middle school classmates. And she is not the only one on Facebook or Xiaonei to do so.

"This has helped us sustain our friendship," Liu says. "Besides, we can get fresh information on their current life and future plans."

What more could an old friend want.

(China Daily 08/23/2007 page12)