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A recently introduced Facebook breakup tool has the potential to make heartache following a separation more bearable.
The newly announced feature promises users on the popular social platform that they will be assisted in achieving closure after their romantic relationship has ended.
More precisely, upon identifying that a person has switched from “in a relationship” or “married” with another member to “single” or “divorced”, Facebook will proceed by asking if less content pertaining to that person should be displayed in the future.
While that other user won’t actually be blocked or unfriended, there will be the possibility to limit their presence in the news feed.
People who are trying to recover following a breakup will be able to see much fewer news related to former flames when they check what their friends and family members have been up to.
This way, they will be given the time and peace required for healing their wounds, without having to be subjected to a myriad of updates regarding their ex-partners.
This feature will also work vice versa, meaning that even the other side involved in the break-up will no longer have constant access to real-time news and stories regarding their ex.
Users will be able to decide exactly what status updates, photos or videos they will continue to share with that person, so that less content will be transmitted, without completely severing ties.
There will also be the possibility to establish how tagging will be done, when it comes to photos where both members of the former couple appear. Similarly, users will be able to have their names deleted from former posts where they had been mentioned alongside their ex.
According to Kelly Winters, Facebook product manager, this seems like a much-needed solution for those who are going through a painful breakup, but are still too emotionally distraught in order to delete their former lover from their friend list.
Many times, those who don’t have the strength to take such a radical step are often left pining after their significant others, to the point where they engage in stalking or similar self-defeating behavior that makes it much more difficult to move on.
The feature can also be of assistance to those who consider it excessively rude to delete their exes, given that they’ve shared happier times also, but still want the opportunity to distance themselves from these persons.
Aside from the fact that it can feel awkward being constantly bombarded with news of a former partner, especially if the breakup has been ugly or acrimonious, it can also be rather painful when one side has happily moved on, while the other one hasn’t.
Initially, the Facebook breakup tool will be integrated in the mobile app associated with the social network. Afterwards, if the feature receives positive feedback from its users, it will be available on desktop devices as well, so that it can be easily employed by all of Facebook’s members, amounting to 1.5 billion.
It is hoped that the new tool will boost user engagement even further, allowing the hugely popular online platform to surpass its current $303.6 billion market capitalization.
Image Source: Pixabay
