To not change my Facebook profile?

[StraightWalkingCrab]

I use Facebook mainly to keep in touch with uni friends now we are scattered all around the world, an antenatal group I joined when I was pregnant with DS and the linked messenger to organise meet-ups with (non-school) friends of the DC. My resolution this year, now that the Dc are getting older is not to post as many photos of them, maybe choose the best one a month or just ones where you can't see their faces. I have never posted anything vaguely political, chain letter or change your status with a flag type things.

One of my (American) friends has recently had a huge, very public, falling out with her family over Trump. It was embarrassing to watch.

Today, I have received three private messages, from non-school friend parents (expat community), asking me to change my status/picture for one of Obama. I don't particularly want to but neither do I want to alienate myself and children from the group. AIBU to not change my status and use "I don't mix politics and Facebook" as a reason?

[Pointeshoes]

Facebook is weird that's why I'm not on it, i don't get it at all!

[FeliciaJollygoodfellow]

Are you American? Why would you if you aren't?

I think you're reason is fine.

[FeliciaJollygoodfellow]

Oh holy fuck how embarrassing.

YOUR not you're

[BreezyThursday]

Of course YANBU, nor do you need to give a reply or justify it.
Do people actually lose friends over Facebook profile pics??

[OutOfOffice]

Do people actually care about this sort of thing? It's FB, 99% of it is completely meaningless!

[empirerecordsrocked]

Just ignore it. Simple.

[StraightWalkingCrab]

felicia I do that sometimes!

I don't know. I've never had private messages asking me to change my profile picture before. There's always been the copy this status thing or whatever which I have studiously ignored, but these are direct messages to me asking me to change the picture. They are seemingly only to me, rather than sent to a whole list of people, but maybe you can send to a everyone in your contacts and all the messages appear as individual ones?

I'm not American, but a significant portion of the expats here are, they all got embroiled in this Facebook spat that I mentioned as did a couple of the non-US people. I was a bit shocked at the intensity of it. Of course I could already have partially sealed my fate as I didn't take part in that... I'm British and most of the others in the group have changed their pictures.

Facebook is complicated So not changing the profile and ignoring the message will not be taken as a slight?

[FeliciaJollygoodfellow]

I ignore all those messages. I don't put rainbow filters, French flag filters or anything on my profile - because I don't see it as solidarity, I see it more that I'm actively choosing to ignore other issues.

No option for a Turkish or Syrian flag filter is there?

[dollydaydream114]

They will have sent that message to everyone on their Friends list - I've had exactly the same message from two people. It's just a chain message, a cut-and-paste job.

You can feel free to ignore it and nobody will care - just like nobody will actually notice or care if you don't share a post that says 'Share if you hate cancer' or 'Share this if you have an awesome sister'.

This is trivial stuff and you don't need to sweat over it. It won't 'alienate' you. This is just the same message that about eighty billion other people the world over have received over the last couple of days. It's not something that's specific or personal to your group.

[BreezyThursday]

Now I'm feeling left out that no-one's messaged me about it.

[StraightWalkingCrab]

Aw Breezy I'd send you a message but I only have real people on it

I've never posted that dolly because I have an anything but awesome sister!

I wondered at the lack of that too Felicia

Ignoring Facebook for a few days seems the best option!

[specialsubject]

I had a message regarding one of those stupid 'awareness' things. Just ignore. As you do with all chain letters.

[MiniCooperLover]

I always ignore those chain messages and never respond, don't worry.