Ask Rhonda: Dumping Facebook Friends
Dear Rhonda,
I recently joined Facebook and a fellow equestrian, whom I did not know, sent me a friend request. I accepted hoping to make a new friend, but now I am starting to regret it. She makes odd comments about photos and posts off-color wall-to-wall messages that creep me out.
What is the proper etiquette to get her off my back? Please keep in mind that we travel in the same industry, so I don’t want to be rude and possibly get a bad reputation. Thanks for any insight.
Signed-
Kelly Green
Dear Kelly,
18 months ago, I would have told you to take your lonely life off-line and start living it in the real world with real people, especially if you want to avoid the online woman-to-woman stalking tragedy you are currently enduring. But, the sad fact of the matter is that Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and all the other social networking sites have made their way into the social fabric of our society (proof being that it even made its way into the daily existence of someone as long in the tooth as me).
I am not an expert at warding off online stalkers; primarily because no matter how hard I try I can’t seem to get myself one (maybe this column will do the trick). Regardless of that, I have a sure fire solution to your problem.
Log onto Facebook and click on your “friends” icon. All the way to the right of each person there is a small “x.” Click on this and a box will appear that asks if you want to remove this person as a friend. Confirm, “remove friend.” This person will be removed from your friends list and will not be able to correspond with you or see your profile in any way. And, the best part is that they are not notified that you dumped their sorry ass.
Next time she tries to email, post to your wall or comment to you, she will be blocked and have to send you an initial friend request like she did originally. And when she does (oh, and she will) just ignore it. Trust me; she will be confused, disoriented and assume that a technology glitch has stood in the way of your deep and meaningful friendship. At this point, Miss “Off-Color” herself will move on to a new target leaving you free and clear with no traceable blame.
Thankfully I was here to save your ass this time. From now on, lets stick to whom you know.
Best,
Rhonda
p.s. Just one caveat. If you exchanged phone numbers with her ignore everything I said. It becomes an entirely new question…
Tags: Ask Rhonda
Jean Dover — February 26, 2009 @ 5:45 pm
Dear Rhonda,
You give such great advise and in such a cleaver way. Bravo.I couldn’t admire you more. I wish I had your gift of finding the most serious question has an amusing answer.
You make Dover’s world such fun.
Love Robert’s Mom