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Facebook wants to end the nightmare of seeing everything your ex is up to

No more sleepless nights deciding whether to block or de-friend.

shutterstock_291046370 Shutterstock / PathDoc Shutterstock / PathDoc / PathDoc

FACEBOOK IS TRYING out a feature that would make it easier to handle the messy social media aftermath of a break-up.

The new system, launched today in the US, will allow people who have split up with a spouse or partner to choose an option that spares them the emotional pain of constantly seeing their ex-lover’s posts and pictures in their news feed.

The company has begun testing the breakup protection on mobile devices in the US, and will later decide whether to offer it to all of its 1.5 billion account holders worldwide, including Ireland.

The option is designed for people who don’t want to risk offending a former husband, wife, girlfriend or boyfriend by taking the more extreme step of de-friending or blocking them.

According to Facebook’s announcement today, the new function will give the newly broken-hearted several options.

  • You can opt to “see less” of your ex’s name and photos on your news feed. Also, their name won’t pop up when you go to tag friends in a photo, or compose a message.

Sorry Taylor.

inphone_seeless Facebook Facebook

  • Conversely, you can also limit what your ex can see to posts you’ve specifically tagged them in, anything posted publicly, or anything involving you that appears on a mutual friend’s timeline.

It’s just not your day, Taylor.

inphone_limit Facebook Facebook

  • And as a third line of defence against bittersweet memories, you can selectively (or collectively) untag yourself from posts or photos featuring your erstwhile beloved.

[DELETE] Taylor.

changepastposts Facebook Facebook

In a blog post today, product manager Kelly Winters explained:

Facebook is a place for sharing life’s important moments, which for many people include their romantic relationships.
When a relationship ends, we’ve heard from people that they sometimes have questions about the options available to them on Facebook.

The new function, she added, was:

Part of our ongoing effort to develop resources for people who may be going through difficult moments in their lives.

Contains reporting by the Associated Press.

Read: Facebook has revealed how it will help blind people ‘see’ photos>

Read: Belgian court tells Facebook to stop tracking non-members or else>

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22 Comments
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    Mute Mary Linton
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    May 22nd 2025, 11:23 AM

    So …..18 weeks is something to be applauded / celebrated???? Time to bring in an external contractor …..increase the days work to say, 10hrs & wotlrk away at weekends / Sundays. A realistic feasible target should be a Month, 6 weeks tops. Clapping & back slapping for 18weeks is so typically ‘ Irish’

    34
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    Mute Liam23
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    May 22nd 2025, 12:38 PM

    @Mary Linton: they hope to bring it down to 10 weeks within 6-12 months. Also could do with the 4000 who couldn’t don’t their test due to invalid NCT, Insurance, Tax etc using their brains a bit

    7
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    Mute Jim
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    May 22nd 2025, 11:23 AM

    Comments not open on the SPHE article but the recurring problem of driving test backlogs? Fire away.

    The SPHE article is little more than the continuation of agnogenesis by the corrupt Irish government.

    The content has been proven to be in school libraries & the education developmental plan has it in there.

    The article states the Department of Education say the complaints were as a result of a “campaign” – so? Other types”campaigns” are fine but not this one?

    More denigrating of parents concerns & exhibits the complete distain the corrupt Irish government have for the majority of the Irish people.

    13
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    Mute Kylie More-Rode - Ballyer Drag Queen
    Favourite Kylie More-Rode - Ballyer Drag Queen
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    May 22nd 2025, 11:24 AM

    @Jim: You’re the chemical castration case study, mate.

    7
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    Mute Jim
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    May 22nd 2025, 11:24 AM

    @Jim: that makes the SPHE article little more than propaganda for the “Ministry of Truth”

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    Mute Jim
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    May 22nd 2025, 11:26 AM

    @Kylie More-Rode – Ballyer Drag Queen: coming from you, someone who is mostl likely a beneficiary of that process, I’ll take it as your mental health issues make you believe your comment is clever & valid

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    Mute Kylie More-Rode - Ballyer Drag Queen
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    May 22nd 2025, 11:30 AM

    @Jim: If you have been affected by this story, call the helpline at 1-800-ARBRHILL. Get some help with your twisted resentments and character defects before you injure yourself!

    5
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    Mute Jim
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    May 22nd 2025, 12:27 PM

    @Kylie More-Rode – Ballyer Drag Queen: you ok Hon?

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    Mute Liam23
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    May 22nd 2025, 12:38 PM

    @Jim: you’re great fun Jim

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    Mute Jim
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    May 22nd 2025, 12:48 PM

    @Liam23: I know, thanks

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    Mute Jack Dermody
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    May 22nd 2025, 11:22 AM

    Skibbereen Rugby got a big shout out….

    9
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    Mute Jimmy Savage
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    May 22nd 2025, 1:05 PM

    Can confim, my test eta came forward 4 weeks

    6
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    Mute Kylie More-Rode - Ballyer Drag Queen
    Favourite Kylie More-Rode - Ballyer Drag Queen
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    May 22nd 2025, 11:22 AM

    RSA is a joke. Why is Liz O’Donnell not called in and fired? Well got PD luvvie from SoCoDublin.

    8
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    Mute Connor Savage
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    May 22nd 2025, 1:53 PM

    It’s not unprecedented demand. It’s an understaffed department with regular demand. But every department is the same. All badly dysfunctional pre-covid, staff culled and less people reinstated. Absolute joke.

    6
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    Mute Sean Hayes
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    May 22nd 2025, 3:03 PM

    @Connor Savage: Agreed. We need to hire more public servants

    4
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    Mute Mark R
    Favourite Mark R
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    May 22nd 2025, 4:50 PM

    How did they shave 5 weeks off the waiting list in 21 days? Have a load of testers working from home since Covid returned back to their office? Is there a system the likes of HSE and BAM can implement to improve productivity?

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    Mute Big Haus
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    May 22nd 2025, 1:18 PM

    Drogheda is the biggest town in Ireland and still no test center

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    Mute Felix Nzekwe II
    Favourite Felix Nzekwe II
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    May 24th 2025, 9:36 AM

    18 weeks is still a joke. Get back to me when it’s down to max 5 weeks

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