The dead tree version of Wired (March 2008 issue) has a handy hint for how to break up on Facebook without sending a news blast to your friends list about it.
To change your relationship status without the press release, go to Facebook’s privacy options, deselect “Remove My Relationship Status” then, in your profile settings, change “In a Relationship” back to its default setting “Select Status”.
Voila, now you won’t be broadcasting the news of your recent split to the world.
The article points out that your ex’s Mini Feed will still display an update in *their* relationship status, so you can’t get away scot free. They’ll need to delete it themselves. Oh well.
Chloe Alderan
Sunday, March 6, 2011 at 2:50 PMYES YOU CAN hide your relationship status using the method above, but YOU CANNOT stop facebook from sending out a news update when you make the change.
If you think you’re slick and change your status to the “blank” option, think again. I tried it, and was successful achieving “no status” on my profile.
However, facebook immediately sends out an announcement in the news feed. It doesn’t ask your permission, in fact it doesn’t tell you it’s doing it. I only knew it happened when people started commenting and calling me. I checked FB and saw a post with a little broken heart, “Chloe is no longer in a relationship”
WTF Facebook!!!!
Even if you hide your relationship status from ppl, they still see your news feed and there is nothing they can do about it. The worst part is people think that YOU did this.
So just be aware: refresh the newsfeed the second you make the change, and when you see the red broken heart, delete the post. This way, only the tiny number of people who happen to be checking FB at that moment will see it.
Unfortunately, it’s the best you can do.
Freak
Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 3:08 PMI have two girls both active on Facebook, the one just sent me a relationship request, I wanna make the otheR one not notice a single thing…comments on statuses etc. Is it possible?
Tom
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 12:52 PMChloe – Actually, there is a text that pops up stating that they will be sending the other party a notice for approval, etc.
belzi
Sunday, July 17, 2011 at 7:18 AMFB keeps changing layout, security settings etc., but right now, the best way to change relationship status without letting your friends or your partner know is this:
Go to privacy settings
Customize privacy settings
Edit privacy settings for “Relationships”to : only me
Edit privacy settings for “can see wall posts by friends” to : only me
(this will disable any of your friends to see your wall until you change it back, no posts or updates of yours will show up in their newsfeed during that time)
Change relationship status to: single
(your fb-partner will not be notified since they cannot see your wall, and your privacy settings for relationships is set to only you, it will appear in the newsfeed of your own fb page but only you can see it)
Change back privacy settings for “can see wall posts by friends” to : “friends” (or whatever you like)
done
belzi
Sunday, July 17, 2011 at 7:43 AMAddendum:
You must keep the privacy settings for your relationship status set to: “only me” for at least a day, until it is too old to appear in the newsfeed of others.
If you want your partner, but noone else to know you can edit this in the “hide from” /”show only to” box
The popup text saying that your partner will be notified is no longer there. There is a “save changes” button at the bottom of the page, klick it and it will say “your changes have been saved”
If you sent a relationship request to someone it will say “waiting for approval” next to the persons name that appears in the “in a relationship with” box, that is all.
So be sure of your changes, before you save them, there is no asking about second thoughts.
captn
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 7:12 PMI no longer have the option to change my relationship status in edit profile?
Help
Simon
Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 9:16 AMEnjoy your relationships and stop worrying about how others perceive it.