facebook privacy settings
July 27, 2015 12:20 AM Subscribe
Within the mystery of the Facebook algorithms, is it possible for me have two friends that I can interact with, Liking, Commenting, wall posting etc, but not have them aware of each other, receiving no notification of the other's existence, no suggested friends etc?
I think if one friend blocks the other this should do this.
posted by needs more cowbell at 12:47 AM on July 27, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by needs more cowbell at 12:47 AM on July 27, 2015 [3 favorites]
They will still see you in the above scenario, so if you comment (not reply) to about a comment they've left on a post etc, the other person will see you saying "Jane, I think that puce settee is too, too much".
posted by smoke at 1:31 AM on July 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by smoke at 1:31 AM on July 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
I wouldn't trust Facebook to honor any of the settings you and/or your friend implement - you could wake up tomorrow to find that they've changed them all.
posted by humph at 1:57 AM on July 27, 2015 [15 favorites]
posted by humph at 1:57 AM on July 27, 2015 [15 favorites]
No, it's not. I've got access to two Facebook accounts, my own and my grandmother's, and I've done variations on blocking people from both sides in order to disappear certain of my friends from her Facebook feed. (Before someone tells me this isn't cool, I welcome you to field phone calls from a crying 90 year old about why some of my friends just seem SO GAY.)
The only way to ensure this (taking into account humph's comment above) is if both friends block each other, which seems the opposite of what you want to achieve. Even if you never interact with either of them on facebook that doesn't stop either of them from interacting with you, and there's really nothing you can do to keep them from seeing each other short of deleting your account, lighting your computer on fire, and living off the grid in a cabin in the wilds of Montana. I'm sorry.
I have good news for you though, most people under 40 understand how the new internet works, and how insidious social media is about reminding you people you don't like exist. So most people will be able to manage their own expectations and not blame you for this. Don't let trying to mollycoddle them inform the way you use your Facebook.
posted by phunniemee at 8:02 AM on July 27, 2015 [2 favorites]
The only way to ensure this (taking into account humph's comment above) is if both friends block each other, which seems the opposite of what you want to achieve. Even if you never interact with either of them on facebook that doesn't stop either of them from interacting with you, and there's really nothing you can do to keep them from seeing each other short of deleting your account, lighting your computer on fire, and living off the grid in a cabin in the wilds of Montana. I'm sorry.
I have good news for you though, most people under 40 understand how the new internet works, and how insidious social media is about reminding you people you don't like exist. So most people will be able to manage their own expectations and not blame you for this. Don't let trying to mollycoddle them inform the way you use your Facebook.
posted by phunniemee at 8:02 AM on July 27, 2015 [2 favorites]
I have several Facebook friends who don't get along and in many cases one has blocked the other. When that happens, they can't see each other's stuff anymore at all.
However, this sometimes makes conversations on my wall confusing for them to follow as it looks like I'm talking to myself. We now have a running joke on my wall about me talking to my "imaginary friends" as a reference to conversations some people only see one half of because they have the person in the other half blocked.
If you only interact with the people in question on their walls and not your own, however, I think you could avoid that sort of confusion.
posted by Jacqueline at 8:03 AM on July 27, 2015 [2 favorites]
However, this sometimes makes conversations on my wall confusing for them to follow as it looks like I'm talking to myself. We now have a running joke on my wall about me talking to my "imaginary friends" as a reference to conversations some people only see one half of because they have the person in the other half blocked.
If you only interact with the people in question on their walls and not your own, however, I think you could avoid that sort of confusion.
posted by Jacqueline at 8:03 AM on July 27, 2015 [2 favorites]
One friend just needs to block the other; and they won't see any comments/notifications, etc
posted by Sara_NOT_Sarah at 8:53 AM on July 27, 2015
posted by Sara_NOT_Sarah at 8:53 AM on July 27, 2015
It's possible to make custom groups of friends (i.e. everyone except Ted, everyone except Alice) and edit your wall posts and comments so they are only seen by the appropriate group. But this doesn't apply to their comments on your own wall. That would require them to block each other.
posted by bgrebs at 8:55 AM on July 27, 2015
posted by bgrebs at 8:55 AM on July 27, 2015
If this were possible without having both people mutually block each other, cheaters everywhere wouldn't need that Ashley Madison site.
posted by MsMolly at 9:48 AM on July 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by MsMolly at 9:48 AM on July 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
One friend just needs to block the other; and they won't see any comments/notifications, etc
Note that this doesn't stop friend C from tagging you and friend B together in a picture that friend A can see.
posted by phunniemee at 10:11 AM on July 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
Note that this doesn't stop friend C from tagging you and friend B together in a picture that friend A can see.
posted by phunniemee at 10:11 AM on July 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by wilful at 12:41 AM on July 27, 2015