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How do I filter out status updates on Facebook?

Now that I have a fair number of friends on Facebook, I'm wondering what I need to do so that I don't see the status updates in my newsfeed from the more, uhm, lame of my friends. I don't want to unfriend them, I just don't want their marketing drivel or personal junk in my news feed. Is there a way to do that in the new Facebook UI?


Dave's Answer:

Hmmm.... sounds just a little bit likely that you have a bit of an issue with your friends or at least your choice of friends on Facebook?

Then again, I'll be candid, I have friends with whom I'm linked on Facebook who do seem to spend too much time echoing their Twitter updates or posting Facebook updates that are links to their latest blog entries or other crass and annoying usages of the Facebook system. They're not wrong to do so, I mean it's an open system, but I think it's not unreasonable for me to screen or filter their updates so I can focus on the interesting stuff from my closer friends.

That's a whole philosophical debate, actually, and I invite you to add your two cents at the end of this blog post if you want to share your views about friending people whose updates you might not be interested in seeing...

Back to the task at hand, however!

Without picking on someone other than that she's a convenient guinea pig for this entry, here's a status update from my Facebook friend JoLynn Braley:

facebook status update 1

As you can see, a fairly straightforward update entry and all the visible options are along the bottom: Comment, Like and Share.

None of them are quite what we want, but here's the secret: move your cursor to the top right of the region and a hidden option appears:

facebook status update 2

Like some sort of adventure game, a new button appears when the cursor is in the right spot, "Hide".

Click on it and:

facebook status update 3

That's how you hide updates from a specific user. Choose it and:

facebook status update hidden

Bye, Bye JoLynn! :-)

There are certain types of updates, like Digg updates, that can be blocked separate from an individual user too: when that's the case, the "Hide" button brings up a menu with more options than just the user.

Finally, if you scroll to the bottom of your Facebook home page, you'll now see:

facebook status hidden post

You can click on the "hidden post" link to temporarily view the filtered or screened news status updates, or, if you click on "Edit Options" to see who you've blocked:

facebook status hidden friends

As you can see, it's easy to make changes.

I hope that helps you fine-tune your Facebook friend update news feed. If you're still looking for more info on Facebook, I have lots and lots of free Facebook help here too.



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Comments

Hiding is simple now that you have explained it. I've stared at my wall trying to figure it out and never noticed the "hide" button. Thanks!

Posted by: hit_escape at April 14, 2009 1:27 PM

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've been searching for this info. It might have taken me about 90 minutes of searching via Google and Facebook, but still...it was worth it.

Yes, there are some people who I don't want to ditch, but who post way too much about things that don't really concern me. So that's for laying this out!

Peace.

Posted by: Velanche at August 15, 2009 11:37 PM

I have a lot of Facebook friends who I consider wonderful people apart from their politics. It sure would be nice if there was a filter that would let me skip updates that have the words "Obama" "Health Care Reform" etc. while letting through the updates on their lives and families, etc.

Posted by: Ryan at August 20, 2009 8:37 PM

I am so happy. Thank you for this information.

Posted by: Susan at August 25, 2009 7:46 PM

You are a God, Dave. You are a God!

Posted by: Stewart at October 2, 2009 10:35 PM

I have something to say, now that you mention it, but ...
Starbucks coffee cup I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!











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