Downloaded Windows Live Messenger 2009 and it has something new I don;t like. Apparently MS is trying to get in the social network bandwagon via Messenger, so it is informing me about stuff people in my list are doing like who they are adding to their list etc.

It is one thing for Facebook to do that, after all it is a social site. that is why some joing Facebook and some prefer not to. You can opt out by visiting an MS site and configuring your preferences, but by default you are in.