If you're staying up late "poking" other guys on social-networking sites and trying to collect online friends, it's time to reevaluate.

-By Ian Daly
-Photograph by Pascal Aulagner

The skirmish erupted last March.

It all started when Jeb added two of his old buddies, who knew each other, to his Facebook profile. One of them added Jeb as a friend but didn't add the other person—even though both were on Jeb's friend list. What ensued was a bizarre, jealousy-fueled fracas. Angry posts were left. Hate e-mails were sent. But this drama didn't unfold in a high school. Jeb is a 35-year-old marketing director in New York City. And his friends?

"They're 35 and 36," Jeb says. "They both had great jobs, both had two children—but then all of that was completely forgotten and they were back to sophomore year. It was total regression."