"erasing" someone from your life on social media

christine24t · March 2013

Kind of a weird topic title but anyway...

To what extent do you "erase" someone from your social media life after a breakup? For example, do you delete all your together pictures off Facebook? Delete lovey-dovey posts you made on their wall or ones that they made on yours? Erase messages (or texts I guess we can lump in) from your Facebook or phone?

RunIntheMud · March 2013

I de-friend them, as well as their family (I tell them beforehand that I'm doing it). I erase any picture of him from my Facebook. I don't touch his wall. I don't immediately delete anything from my wall, picture comments, etc. If I add a new interest on to Facebook within 6 months or so, I'll look to see what I had up in the past and may delete some posts. I delete all emails, texts and pictures from my phone. I keep his contact info only so I know who's calling/texting.

Seems cold, but it makes the break a lot easier and the closure comes much faster. You're not constantly looking at old messages or pictures wondering "what went wrong" or "what could have been".

TheKitsune6 · March 2013

I don't know. I haven't had an active social media at the same time I've had a serious relationship. I know my myspace is still full of pictures of my ex, but it's been a while and we're friends so I can look back and smile. I don't know what I would do with facebook.

kimad · March 2013

I would delete them from Facebook, delete all pics of us together, delete all texts, emails and phone numbers from my phone (although they never really leave the silly iPhones). I cut all ties.

lacroyx · March 2013

As Kits said, never been in a serious relationship to really know what or how far I'd go.

diodelcibo · March 2013

I don't really use social media much anyway but on the ones I do I use I do t bother deleting photos or posts.

AnnaPixie · March 2013

I've never added a b/f to my facebook. And I dont think I ever would! My sister's aren't even on there. I think I prefer to be selective and private in that respect as I think Facebook is too 'in your face!' :bigsmile:

kerrymh · March 2013

I have really only had one ex. I defriended him on fb, and blocked him from a few other things but other wise nothing. I left our pictures there..because we dated I had a past. I'm not ashamed of it, I have fond memories of him, I did untag the pictures I guess so that we could look at those pictures more privately. But I really don't get this idea of trying to erase someone from your past. You dated so what and anyone new has to accept that you had relationships in the past but that they are over now. I am also very cautious to add a new interest to fb...I only add someone if I already consider them a friend not after 2-3 dates. If I'm friends with a guy he probably already is prepared for what ever he sees on fb.

Scottish_Lass · March 2013

Well, if you looked at my facebook you'd never think I split from my fiance 6 months ago. In fact, you'd wonder if he even ever existed...

dbrightwell1270 · March 2013

There are plenty of places to hide a body. I just delete them from existence.

MissingMinnesota · March 2013

They were part of my life for a time so I don't delete pictures or posts from fb. I will unfriend/unfollow them and delete any messages from them or pictures on my phone. Usually change their name in my phone to "do not answer".

kimad · March 2013

I have really only had one ex. I defriended him on fb, and blocked him from a few other things but other wise nothing. I left our pictures there..because we dated I had a past. I'm not ashamed of it, I have fond memories of him, I did untag the pictures I guess so that we could look at those pictures more privately. But I really don't get this idea of trying to erase someone from your past. You dated so what and anyone new has to accept that you had relationships in the past but that they are over now. I am also very cautious to add a new interest to fb...I only add someone if I already consider them a friend not after 2-3 dates. If I'm friends with a guy he probably already is prepared for what ever he sees on fb.

Agreed. Don't get the whole add to FB so quick thing. Haha my last bf we travelled internationally before becoming FB friends. Was our joke.

Of course in the case of my kid's dad I can't pretend he didn't exist.

I've never really had to delete an ex from FB. The one bf who dumped me via text had deleted me from FB before he dumped me lol. He was awesome.

Moe4572 · March 2013

Last bf I had that broke up with me via text defriended me on facebook--unfortunately for him, he gave me his passwords-- I did look at his page a few times, but since have not kept up since he "found his soulmate" and is "in love"---was bringing too much pain to bother, so just don't look anymore. But then another ex that I broke up with me defriended and blocked me--then after talking and becoming friends.....he refriended me and it is all good with him now, though neither of us kept any pics of the other up on our page--his current gf REALLY would not like that.....

My ex husband blocked me--occasionally I still see pics of him that his daughter puts up as I am friends with her

Music_is_my_soul · March 2013

I don't delete anything. They are/were a part of your life and what made you are who you are. If you start seeing someone new and they get mad/jealous about your past relationships than that is their problem. You can't change your past and depending on the length of the relationship a big part of your life. My ex and I were together for 5 years and we lived together for all 5 years (weird story). I have pics of us on my fb and my shutterfly. I am not going to delete the pics. They were fun memories that I choose to keep because we had fun together. Now with that said, I do delete any "dirty" pics that I may have had on my phone. No need to keep those.

Good luck!

nolachick · March 2013

delete.unfriend. not to be mean but just to cut ties and let yourself move on.

if necesary delete his friends (let them know before) u dont wanna see his pictures or his business through someone else. I just have to cut someone out of my life completely to get over them

yoovie · March 2013

I actually wipe myself out of existence instead of them. All of a sudden you wake up one morning and it is though I never existed. Except in your mind. And then you worry you might be crazy when you're the only one that remembers me. But you can't find me.

pastryari · March 2013

This makes me yet again thankful that I don't have facebook and don't date and therefore don't have to deal with that crap.

cheerforsteelers · March 2013

The last time I had to unfriend an ex/his family was 4 years ago. Ever since then I don't even touch my profile with "in relationship" status changes or writing anything about my relationship(s) in general.