There are a few common reasons why you might be friends with someone on Facebook but not actively following their updates or posts:
You don’t know them that well
If you don’t know the person very well in real life, you may have added them as a friend on Facebook to be polite or because you have some minor connection, but you aren’t actually that interested in keeping up with them. Being Facebook friends doesn’t necessarily mean you want to see everything they post.
You find their posts annoying
Even if you know the person well, you may find their posting style irritating or overwhelming. Maybe they post too frequently, share too much personal information, or spam your feed with game requests. Unfollowing them means you stay Facebook friends but don’t have to see the posts.
You only know them professionally
Some Facebook friends are professional contacts, co-workers, clients, etc. You may want to stay connected on social media but aren’t necessarily interested in their personal life updates.
You used to know them better
If you were close with someone in the past but have since drifted apart, you may still be Facebook friends though you’re no longer following their current activities. High school and college friends often fall into this category.
Their posts don’t interest you
Even if you have no issue with the person, you simply may not care about the content they tend to post. For instance, if they post primarily about sports and you’re not into sports, you likely won’t want their updates cluttering your feed.
You want to limit their access to your profile
By being Facebook friends, they can still see some of your activity and information. But unfollowing them means your posts won’t automatically show up in their feed either. It limits access both ways.
You find their views offensive
If someone frequently posts political or social opinions you strongly disagree with, you may not want to see that content constantly. Unfollowing avoids confrontation but still maintains the Facebook friendship.
You want to avoid drama
In some cases, actively unfriending a person can cause social drama or awkwardness. But if you unfollow them, you can quietly avoid their posts without directly unfriending.
You interact in real life
You may have in-person relationships with some Facebook friends through school, work, or mutual friends. Even if you don’t care about their social media, you interact in real life. Unfollowing just limits online contact.
Their account has changed purpose
Over time, some friends’ accounts evolve into different purposes, like becoming focused on business promotions or family updates. You may not be interested in the new content tone.
The Facebook algorithm affects visibility
Facebook’s algorithm determines what you see in your newsfeed and what order. Even if you still follow someone, their posts may not show up frequently if the algorithm deems them less relevant to you based on past interactions.
Limited social media scrolling time
Most social media users have a limited time they can realistically spend scrolling feeds each day. Following a huge number of friends leads to overload. Unfollowing some connections helps focus your feed on those you interact with most.
Changing interests over time
Your interests now may not be the same as when you originally became Facebook friends with someone. Over the years, you may have unfollowed old friends simply because your lives went separate ways.
Conclusion
There are many practical reasons for being Facebook friends with someone without actively following them or seeing their posts. It allows maintaining the social media connection without constant interaction. Some common factors are how well you know the person, your interest in their content, limiting their access to your profile, avoiding drama, and managing information overload from too many friends. Facebook’s algorithm and your available scrolling time also play a role. Interests and values changing over time can also cause you to naturally unfollow some friends you added years ago.
Other Questions People Frequently Ask About Facebook Friends and Following
Can Facebook friends see everything you post if they follow you?
No, Facebook friends do not automatically see all your posts even if they follow you. The news feed algorithm still determines visibility. But friends who follow you are more likely to see your posts than friends who don’t.
Do people know if you unfollow them on Facebook?
No, there is no notification if you unfollow someone. It happens quietly behind the scenes. They will simply notice over time that your posts no longer show up for them.
What happens if you unfollow everyone on Facebook?
Unfollowing all your Facebook friends essentially makes your news feed only show posts from pages you follow and advertisements. You will no longer see personal updates from any friends. Your profile and added friends remain unchanged.
Should you unfollow or unfriend someone on Facebook?
In most cases, unfollowing is better than unfriending if you want to avoid drama or awkwardness. Unfriends are more obvious. Unfollow if you may interact with them again in the future or have mutual connections.
What does it mean if someone likes or comments on your Facebook posts but doesn’t follow you?
They likely still see some of your posts through mutual friends, notifications, or visiting your profile. Interacting doesn’t automatically make your posts appear in their main newsfeed unless they choose to refollow you.
Can you limit certain friends from seeing certain posts?
Yes, Facebook allows you to create friend lists and choose specific people to exclude from seeing a particular post while it remains public to your other friends.
What happens when you follow someone new on Facebook?
Once you follow someone on Facebook, their public posts will start regularly appearing towards the top of your news feed. The more you interact, the more their content will be prioritized by the algorithm.
How do I know who unfollowed me on Facebook?
There is no feature that directly shows who unfollowed you. You would have to closely monitor your list of followers and notice when someone disappears. There are some third-party apps that claim to track unfollowers but accuracy varies.
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Don’t know them well | Added as Facebook friends out of politeness but not close in real life |
| Find their posts annoying | Dislike their posting style or frequency of posts |
| Only know them professionally | Want to limit personal life updates from work contacts |
| Used to know them better | Close in the past but grown apart over time |
This table summarizes some of the key reasons someone might not follow a Facebook friend.
The Psychology Behind Facebook Unfollowing
Unfollowing someone on social media can often say more about you and your own mental state than it says about the person you unfollowed. Here are some psychological insights into what motivates people to unfollow Facebook friends:
- Narrowing your focus – Unfollowing people allows you to narrow your newsfeed down to friends and interests you care most about at the moment.
- Avoiding social comparison – Seeing posts from people you perceive as doing “better” than you in some way can lead to negative social comparison. Unfollowing reduces this.
- Self-protection – Reducing contact with people who post polarizing content you disagree with helps avoid unpleasant debates that may threaten your worldview.
- Digital decluttering – Unfollowing many friends can be part of a larger effort to declutter your digital spaces and reduce social media’s influence over your mood.
- Breaking a social media addiction – Severely limiting Facebook time and unfollowing friends you no longer interact with can help break a compulsive social media habit.
- Maintaining faded friendships – Unfollowing can keep old friends or acquaintances on your friends list even though you’ve grown apart and their updates are no longer relevant to your life.
Overall, the urge to unfollow people is often driven by a desire to control your digital environment in a way that supports your current mental health and aligns with your interests and values. It allows tailoring social media to suit your needs as they change over time.
Tips for Managing Your Facebook Friends and Newsfeed
Here are some tips to help you take control of your Facebook feed and friend list:
- Do an unfollow audit – Review all your Facebook friends and unfollow anyone whose posts you consistently ignore.
- Don’t go overboard unfollowing – Keep some friends around with different interests and views to avoid a filter bubble effect.
- Revisit old unfollows – Check back on friends you unfollowed long ago. You may want to refollow as interests evolve.
- Use friend lists – Organize friends into lists like Close Friends, Work Friends, Acquaintances to manage what they see.
- Limit Facebook time – Set a time limit per day for scrolling to maintain balance and focus.
- Follow pages you value – Fill your feed with content from pages that post value, not just friends.
- Clean up old posts – Go through and delete or hide outdated posts and info you no longer want visible.
- Review privacy settings – Check that your profile visibility matches your comfort level.
- Export your data – Download a file of your Facebook data for backups and to see info Facebook stores about you.
- Remember unfollows are quiet – Unfollowing is drama-free. Facebook keeps your friends list unchanged.
Conclusion
Maintaining healthy Facebook habits requires being selective about who you follow and engage with on the platform. Unfollowing friends is often necessary to shape your feed and focus on connections that matter most to you. If done mindfully, it can optimize your experience. But stalking who unfollows you or treating unfollows as social slights leads to unhealthy obsession. Use your best judgment when pruning your Facebook social graph.