With social media being such a big part of our lives these days, who you choose to follow or not follow on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook etc. can feel like a very deliberate choice. So what happens when you unfollow someone? Can they tell?
The Short Answer
The short answer is yes, it is possible for someone to notice if you unfollow them on social media. However, whether they actually realize it happened depends on a few factors.
On Instagram
On Instagram, if you unfollow someone, they will not get a notification about it. The only way they would know is if they periodically check who they are following and who is following them back. By remembering the number and checking again later, they could see the difference and potentially realize someone unfollowed.
On Twitter
Twitter does not send a notification when someone unfollows an account. The only way to know is by checking periodically to see if the number of followers has decreased. Twitter used to send email notifications when you lost a follower, but they stopped doing that in 2011.
On Facebook
If you unfollow or unfriend someone on Facebook, they will not get a notification informing them of this action. The only way they would know you unfollowed them is by checking their own friend list and noticing you are no longer there.
Why You Might Want to Unfollow Someone
There are a few common reasons why you may want to unfollow someone on social media:
- Their content no longer interests you
- You don’t interact with them much anymore
- You want to avoid seeing updates from them
- You are trying to limit your time on social media
- They post too much or too frequently
- You had an argument or falling out
Unfollowing someone can be a way to curate your feed and refine the experience you have on social platforms. It allows you to take control of the content you see and engage with on a regular basis.
How to Unfollow Someone
The process for unfollowing varies slightly across platforms:
On Instagram
To unfollow an account on Instagram:
- Go to the profile of the account you want to unfollow
- Tap the Following button (it will be blue if you currently follow them)
- Tap Unfollow in the prompt
On Twitter
To unfollow someone on Twitter:
- Go to their profile page
- Tap the Following button next to their Follow button
- Tap Unfollow on the screen that pops up
On Facebook
To unfollow or unfriend on Facebook:
- Go to the profile of the person you intend to unfollow
- Hover over the Friends button and click the Following or Friends drop down
- Select Unfollow or Unfriend
Does Unfollowing Matter?
Whether unfollowing someone matters or not really depends on the context of your relationship and how they might perceive it. Here are a few considerations:
- For close friends or family, it could cause hurt feelings or offense
- For businesses or creators, it may signal you’ve lost interest in their content
- For acquaintances or distant connections, it likely goes unnoticed
- Repeatedly unfollowing and following the same person can look strange
- Mass unfollowing a bunch of accounts may be seen as petty
- Unfollowing an ex romantic partner signals you want distance
If done tactfully, unfollowing likely will not cause too much fuss. But you still may want to evaluate the potential social implications depending on who it is.
Private or Finsta Accounts
Private, secondary “finsta” accounts on Instagram are one way people unfollow others without it being public knowledge. By having a separate private account to follow select people, you can unfollow them from your main profile without them being able to tell.
The drawback is that maintaining multiple Instagram accounts can be time consuming and goes against the platform’s terms of service. But for those worried about others noticing who they do and don’t follow, it is an option.
Muting Instead of Unfollowing
Another more subtle option is to mute someone’s account instead of unfollowing them. Muting allows you to avoid seeing someone’s posts without unfollowing them. They will have no idea they have been muted.
On Instagram, you can mute someone by going to their profile, tapping the three dot menu in the top right corner, and selecting mute posts, story, or both. Twitter and Facebook have similar muting functions.
Should You Tell Someone You Unfollowed Them?
There is no obligation to inform someone if you unfollow them, but there are some cases where it may be worth mentioning:
- If it is someone you know well in real life
- If your online friendship has turned antagonistic
- If they are likely to notice and feel hurt by the unfollowing
- If you want to explain why you unfollowed
With good friends or prominent connections, briefly explaining why you unfollowed can prevent confusion or hard feelings. But for distant acquaintances or strangers, there is less need to say anything.
Can You Tell Who Views Your Profile?
While we’re on the topic of social media privacy, a common question related to unfollowing is whether you can tell who views your profile on sites like Instagram and Facebook.
The answer is maybe, but with limitations. On Instagram, you can see some data about profile visits, but not specific people. Instagram shows you total visits and locations, but not individual users. You can however see precisely who views your Instagram stories.
Facebook previously showed profile visits, but not anymore. Facebook removed the ability to see who visited your profile in 2014. So on Facebook it is impossible to know who is viewing your profile now.
Conclusion
To wrap up, it is possible for someone to notice if you unfollow their social media account, but not guaranteed. The only way to tell is by proactively checking their own follower/friend lists. Unfollowing someone can signal a desire for distance, but can often happen without much notice if done discreetly.
If you want to unfollow an account without being detected, muting provides a subtler option in most cases. And if you want to prevent being seen by specific people you follow, using a private/finsta account gives you greater control.
Overall, periodically reevaluating who you follow on social media to curate your feed is normal behavior. So unfollowing here and there is unlikely to seem unusual or offensive in most cases.
Social media platforms keep making changes that affect privacy and followers. But for now, you have the ability to unfollow and control who you interact with largely undetected if desired. Just be thoughtful about which connections truly matter most as you refine your digital social circles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone see if you unfollow them on Instagram?
No, Instagram does not notify someone when you unfollow their account. The only way they would know is if they checked the list of their own followers and noticed your username was missing compared to before.
Does Twitter notify when you unfollow?
No, Twitter stopped notifying users when someone unfollows them back in 2011. The only way to know is to check your own follower count periodically to see if has decreased.
Can someone see if you unfriended them on Facebook?
Facebook does not inform users if they have been unfriended or unfollowed. The only way to tell is by checking your own friends list and noticing they are no longer on it.
Should I tell someone I unfollowed them?
You don’t need to tell most people if you unfollow them, but it may be worth letting close connections know to avoid hurt feelings. Use your judgment based on the specific relationship.
What happens if you unfollow someone on Instagram then refollow them?
Nothing special happens when refollowing someone on Instagram you previously unfollowed. They will not get notified and likely will not even realize it happened unless they check followers regularly.
Can I see who views my Instagram profile?
Instagram shows you how many profile visits you had in total, but not which specific accounts viewed your profile. You can however see precisely who views your Instagram stories.
Key Takeaways
- Unfollowing someone on social media does not trigger a notification to them.
- To notice if someone unfollowed, users have to check their own follower/friend lists.
- Muting provides a subtle way to avoid someone’s posts without unfollowing.
- Secondary “finsta” accounts allow you to unfollow people privately.
- Unfollowing can signal losing interest in their content or wanting distance.
- It’s normal to unfollow some people as you curate your social feed.