It's not clear whether it's an application, a virus, or Facebook itself, but in the past couple of days something is sending out large numbers of friend suggestions that the original friend didn't make.

Typically, it works like this. You have a friend, B, and a friend, C, and you think B and C would be copacetic together, or you think B and C are already friends but don't know each other is in Facebook, so you suggest that B and C become friends, and B and C each receive a message from Facebook, in your name, with the suggestion.

But something's gone haywire.

Between yesterday afternoon and this morning, I received 51 friend suggestions from two friends, including family members I would have no reason of knowing or friending. I confirmed with one of these friends thus far that she was not sending out the requests.

Meanwhile, in Facebook's Help Center, under Friends -- Suggestions, are dozens of new questions on the subject. "Some of my friends got friend suggestions from me that I didn't suggest." "Is there a virus on FB re. friend suggestions?" "Is there a virus on FB that is sending out random Friend Suggestions?" and so on.

With Facebook being battered in the media lately regarding privacy issues, some people are suggesting this is the latest move by Facebook to "help" its users become more strongly connected.

To add insult to injury, the Help Center is broken, meaning that people can't open up or reply to these questions.

There is nothing on Facebook's page about the issue, and the company has not yet responded to an inquiry.