I don't use Facebook to expand my existing social network. I use it to have a sort of 'chat room' amongst my friends where we can keep each other updated on the things we are doing with our lives. It's a one-to-many 'sharing' environment. I post about the book I am reading. All my Friends can see that. Maybe someone is reading the same book and has a remark. Or they had meant to read it but forgot the name of it and my posting it reminded them. Or a thousand other options. I can say that I plan to go to that Goth/SM club tomorrow and since it's only Friends that can see that, it's cool - and maybe they want to go with me. But the point is, something like Facebook is a way to stay connected. To deepen connections. To know what is going on with each other without having to make 100 phone calls or address an email to 100+ people, etc.
When people send me a Friend invite, I have an easy choice; is this someone I already know or someone I'm acquainted with that I want to know better *and* do I care what they are doing with their life? If yes, I accept the invite. If not, I mostly don't.
I don't use Facebook to find old friends. If they are old friends, we probably drifted apart for a good reason - with I think exactly 2 exceptions out of 100+ on my list so far.
So it makes perfect sense to me to want to have the option to NOT put up my pic or location to strangers. That said, I do think that having JUST the picture can be forced. That way I can confirm if this is the John Smith I think it is.
But, for me, the real, true bottom line is this. GIVE ME THE FUCKING OPTION to control what information I see fit. If I clamp it down so that no one can find me, that might be exactly what I WANT.