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Facebook is going to help you with your break up
Fri, 20th Nov 2015
FYI, this story is more than a year old

Facebook has announced they are testing new tools to help people manage how they interact with their former partners on the social network platform after a relationship has ended.

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

When people change their relationship status to indicate they are no longer in a relationship, they will be prompted to try the new tools, Winters explains.

The new tools give Facebook users the options to see less of a former partner's name and profile picture on Facebook, without having to unfriend or block them.

Their posts won't show up in News Feed and their name won't be suggested when people write a new message or tag friends in photos.

Users can limit the photos, videos or status updates that a former partner will see, as well as edit who can see their past posts with a former partner and untag themselves from posts with that person.

Winters says Facebook is starting to test the new tools in the US on mobile, and will roll out changes based on user feedback.

All of the tools are optional, and users will be able to access them in the Facebook help centre at anytime.

“This work is part of our ongoing effort to develop resources for people who may be going through difficult moments in their lives,” Winters explains. “We hope these tools will help people end relationships on Facebook with greater ease, comfort and sense of control.

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