Din nuværende forespørgsel vil kun vise et resultat, hvis alle tabeller har et link til dit vennebord. Jeg tror, du er mere på udkig efter sådan noget
SELECT following
FROM friends
WHERE follower='id'
UNION ALL
SELECT following
FROM family
WHERE follower='id'
UNION ALL
SELECT following
FROM following
WHERE follower='id'
UNION ALL
SELECT following
FROM acquaintances
WHERE follower='id'
eller en smule pænere at læse og nemmere at justere på bekostning af nogle præstationer
SELECT following
FROM (
SELECT following, follower FROM friends
UNION ALL SELECT following, follower FROM family
UNION ALL SELECT following, follower FROM following
UNION ALL SELECT following, follower FROM acquaintances
) AS f
WHERE follower='id'