I'm thinking about when sociability becomes an obligation. Someone is friendly, and it's only 'natural' to respond in kind with a friendly smile or chat or whatever. Everyone has experienced situations where that became too much and a stranger, or worse some distant uncle operating under the color of family expectation, just talks your leg off and you simply can't escape. It's usually presented as a joke, but during the experience it's awkward as hell.

You can try to maintain boundaries, or make excuses, or invent defenses -- have to go to the bathroom or whatever -- but you just can't turn in the person's face and say "I do not want to interact with you now." It's just too rude.

Even in less extreme situations -- a momentary chat over the coffee pot at work -- you have to answer how your weekend was and inquire vacantly about the other person's. No one wants a complete rundown of what you did Saturday & Sunday. Nothing is more rude to give an honest and complete answer to the question "how are you?" Except to refuse any answer.

What happens in social networking situations, where all anyone involved has is those sorts of exchanges. Even when the network is supporting substantial work, the interactions are wrapped in social traffic, which replaces all the physical proximity, silent smiles, holding doors for one another, etc. Can the social obligation can become a fully compulsory expectation in a work-type situation, and how is it going to affect people's real interactions and genuine relationships?