When Facebook first became popular it was of social protocol to immediately add someone you had just met, anyone you had met.
Saw them across the room at a high school party? Add them! Bumped into them that one super fun time at that really awesome place? Add them!
The friend count was an endless list of people you didn’t care about, but you wanted them there anyway. Seven years onward we experience the exact opposite – we put thought into who we add on Facebook and pride ourselves on limiting access to our profile.Deleting someone on social media is the modern way to say “I don’t want you in my life,” and this issue should not be taken lightly. It sends all sorts of messages and in the heat of the moment these might make perfect sense but in the sober light of day you may well regret your decision.
If you truly want nothing to do with someone and don’t want to give them the privilege of lingering on your social media by all means click, but think it through before. Think more than the 12 seconds it actually takes to locate someone and remove them because it’s not so easy to undo the action and undo what it means.
Pros
It can say more than you might actually have the guts to say to their face. It’s like a slap in the face
It’s a strong statement
It will be noticed
It can hurt them, if that’s the desired effect.
Cons
You can’t midnight creep anymore
It can feel lonely without them to look up
You may feel guilty
You can’t check in with what they’re up to
If you try and add them at a later date it can seem petty
It gives them impression that you actually care, which sometimes is best hidden.
It means you can’t bear to see them enjoying their life without you and they will take this on board.
How to handle being unfriended.
Facebook friendship is fleeting and borderline meaningless. But that doesn’t mean rejection and betrayal don’t sting. Getting dumped is horrible, painful, and guaranteed to happen at some stage to all of us. Here’s how to handle a devastating digital breakup. If it happens before picking up the phone phone think the following through:
-Maybe it’s because your status updates are a little like >this<
-Too many confrontational political statements, mundane check-ins, random angry rants directed at bus/dart/taxi drivers ?
If none of the above apply and you thought you and the unfriend-er shared something to bond over, even if it was just lunch one day, you’ve a right to be annoyed. Whenever the two of you meet in person again, you’ll briefly lock eyes. Your eyes will say it all. I know what you did, and you know what you did.
Watch as they stammer excuses, stutter, and try to explain. They’ll offer to refriend you. “It was a mistake! Oh, how did that happen?”
Move on with your head held high and your dignity maintained.