...not to unfriend people I disagree with occasionally on FB?

[LapdanceShoeshine]

Just discovered I've recently been unfriended by someone who is not at all gender critical & has previously argued the toss on a few of my threads about TRAs.

Someone else did the same over a year ago (although without any arguments - just cut off)

I was unfriended by at least 3 people for critical posts about M Thatch when she died, & by 1 for criticising anti-Corbyn MPs.

These are all people I had had plenty of amiable exchanges with on other topics, & felt able to just ignore when they posted stuff I disagreed with.

It seems a shame that in each case one contentious subject has apparently outweighed everything else

Well either they are so uncomfortable with the content of your posts that they don’t want to see them any more or there’s some other reason they’ve unfriended you. Do you post a lot of political/controversial stuff? Some people use facebook purely as a social tool for keeping in touch with family and friends, it may be that they don’t particularly disagree with you but just aren’t overly interested in reading your opinions/arguments all the time.

Regardless of their reasons, they are entirely within their rights to unfriend you so no, they ANBU (which I think is the actual question you are asking here).

I think for some people politics-based disagreements bring out a strong reaction and hitting the delete button is like an enormous "fuck you" to help them feel like they've won the argument; the FB equivalent of slamming a door and shouting "you twat" as you leave.

They can't be particularly great friends, though, if they've reacted that way over a disagreement.

I unfriend people who say shit that annoys me on FB if they're not someone I see often / at all. I unfriended a few who were unbearably smug after the Brexit vote and anyone who shares anything by Britain First.

I delete loads of people on Facebook for various reasons... doesn’t mean I am not their friend, it means I don’t like how they use social media, and their feed is of no interest to me.
If they are overly political, footbally, laddish etc. they go.
If I see their kids more than I see my own... they go.
I’d still buy them a drink and chat with them out and about.. but I don’t want to see their shit.

I am very political - but not on Facebook, as I have a lot of friends of very different views and we get on much better if we don't talk politics. When people post things I find stupid or offensive, I mostly just hide them from my feed. Maybe think about the tone of what you've posted - there was a lot of vitriolic nasty stuff around when Baroness Thatcher died that went well beyond just criticism.

I think when the opinion is strawberry ice cream is better than chocolate you would BU to unfriend them. But politics etc. is how you see the world, and what your model world would be like.

I don't think it's unreasonable to unfollow someone whose political views are drastically different to the point that you find them offensive .

It depends what the disagreement is.

I deleted someone slagging off single mums on benefits. If she didn't have a husband (who treats her like a mug) she'd be in the same position. She has 5 kids and would never get a job to sustain them all as she's been a sahm for 15 years and has few qualifications. Being lucky enough to have a husband who earns a decent wage isn't something to be smug about.

I had to unfollow a friend during the Brexit vote as they were vile! Still friends though.

I unfollow people occasionally but don’t unfriend them.

Sounds like you've posted some quite unpleasant stuff I'd think twice about a RL friendship let alone an online one. People generally don't like being preached at by one dimensional thinkers.

I love posting controversial stuff up on FB as most people on my FL have strong views & we can have a brilliant debate. Mostly without falling out too. I never understand people who get involved in posts then flounce off when someone disagrees with them...just don't get involved?? I have unfollowed people if they post stuff that bores me or frustrates me, but deleting them as an up yours seems quite childish to me

I don't unfriend people for having different political views to me. I do unfriend people with different political views who insult people that don't share those views. E.g. Remainers who said that Brexiteers lacked intelligence, should be deeply ashamed of themselves, etc. I don't want to be friends with people who lack tolerance, thanks.

If you unfriend folk on FB do you also stop talking to them irl? Surely unfriending them only on FB is a bit pointless if you still engage with them elsewhere; their views won't change outside

My sister unfriended me recently because I shared a satire news article about Tommy Robinson. Turns out she is a massive supporter of him and BF. Admittedly it did take me about two weeks to notice which shows how close we are.

I dont unfriend anyone I agree with I unfollow them.

@InfiniteSheldon

I suppose it depends how strongly you feel about politics. I am very “well i may not agree, but they are entitled to their own opinion on whatever”.

Some people can get a bit “you’re wrong, and if you don’t agree i’m right, we can’t be friends”.

The exceptions being, of course, anything tommeh related, racist, national front, nhs murdering perfectly healthy babies . On those topics, i am right, and if they can’t see that they get deleted.... :)