Facebook introduces feature to let users 'take a break' from their ex

Facebook is introducing a new feature which will allow users to "Take a Break" from their ex on social media.

Facebook introduces feature to let users 'take a break' from their ex

Facebook is introducing a new feature which will allow users to "Take a Break" from their ex on social media, writes Cillian Sherlock.

The company says millions of people break up with their partner on Facebook every week.

The new tool is just one of a range of new features being introduced following an internal review into how the social media site affects its user's mood.

Now, when a user changes their relationship status from "in a relationship" to "single", they can use the "Take A Break" tool to take control over when they see their ex on Facebook, what their ex can see and who can see their past posts.

The company said research on peoples’ experiences after breakups suggests that offline and online contact, including seeing an ex-partner’s activities, can make emotional recovery more difficult.

If you choose to see them less, their posts and posts they are tagged in won't appear in your News Feed and you won't be prompted to message them or tag them in photos. To see their posts again, you can re-follow them.

If you choose to restrict what they see, they will be added to your Restricted List and will only see posts you tag them in or share publicly.

The final measure involves restricting your past posts so they can only be seen by the people that are tagged in them.

The post will no longer appear on your timeline but will still appear on other peoples timelines and search results unless the person who originally posted them removes them.

The announcement follows news earlier this week that the social media giant had admitted too much time spent online can be bad for your mental health.

In a weekend blog post from, Facebook's Director of Research David Ginsberg and Facebook Research Scientist Moira Burke, the company suggested that just passively reading your Facebook updates can have a negative effect on your mood.

A study from UC San Diego and Yale found that people who clicked on about four times as many links as the average person, or who liked twice as many posts, reported worse mental health than average in a survey.

The blog attempts to balance claims from academics who claim that new technology such as mobile phones are negatively redefining modern relationships by "making us alone together" with research that argues these claims are ignoring the benefits, and that people are, according to one study at least, spending more time in public.

The company, understandably, says the key to staying happy is by engaging and post more often to get a positive lift to their mood,

it flaunts a study which shows that people who sent or received more messages reported improvements in social support, depression and loneliness. However, simply broadcasting updates isn't enough - user must to engage with others in their network one-on-one.

Facebook is now actively trying to make Facebook more about social interaction.

“We want the time people spend on Facebook to encourage meaningful social interactions," Mark Zuckerberg said.

The company, which employs social psychologists and social scientists, is collaborating with top scholars to improve its service.

Along with the 'take a break' feature, the company has announced several other measures to improve its user's experiences.

Users can now 'Snooze' other people, pages or groups without having to permanently unfollow or unfriend them. The action will block updates from that source for thirty days.

The company also claims it is actively tackling clickbait headlines, false news and low-quality content "even if it decreases some of our engagement metrics in the short term".

In addition, the comments feature has seen an overhaul to more actively encourage conversation.

A range of suicide prevention tools has also been added including artificial intelligence to detect suicidal posts and suicide prevention support on Facebook Live.

"We also connect people more broadly with mental health resources, including support groups on Facebook," the company added.

more courts articles

Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother
Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van
Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman

More in this section

Smartwatch with health app. Glowing neon icon on brick wall background Health watch: How much health data is healthy? 
Cork's wild salmon warrior Sally Ferns Barnes looks to the future Cork's wild salmon warrior Sally Ferns Barnes looks to the future
(C)2024 Disney. Disneyland Paris – Disneyland Hotel Re-Opening Watch: Iconic Disneyland Paris hotel re-opens after two year renovation
ieParenting Logo
Writers ieParenting

Our team of experts are on hand to offer advice and answer your questions here

Your digital cookbook

ieStyle Live 2021 Logo
ieStyle Live 2021 Logo

IE Logo
Outdoor Trails

Discover the great outdoors on Ireland's best walking trails

IE Logo
Outdoor Trails

Lifestyle
Newsletter

The best food, health, entertainment and lifestyle content from the Irish Examiner, direct to your inbox.

Sign up
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited