Facebook will now offer to hide you from your ex

If things go south between you and bae, you no longer have to unfriend them, hide them, or block them to stop painful reminders of their existence from popping up on your News Feed. On Thursday, Facebook rolled out new tools that allow users to limit how much content they see from their ex once they change their relationship status to "single."
The tools have three major components: limiting how much of your ex you see on Facebook; limiting how much your ex sees of you on Facebook; and limiting people's ability to see past posts where the two of you are together. [The Verge]
Selecting to "see less of" your ex doesn't notify them either, of course. The measures are simply meant to shield users from potentially uncomfortable posts or suggestions made by unwitting social media algorithms.
"This work is part of our ongoing effort to develop resources for people who may be going through difficult moments in their lives," Facebook product manager Kelly Winters said in a blog post. "We hope these tools will help people end relationships on Facebook with greater ease, comfort and sense of control."
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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