When an individual chooses to cease following another user on the Facebook platform, the primary consequence is the removal of the followed individual’s posts and updates from the unfollower’s news feed. This action limits the unfollower’s exposure to the followed individual’s content without affecting the established friendship connection. For example, an individual can remain Facebook friends with a contact but opt not to see their frequent posts about a specific topic by unfollowing them.
The capacity to control the content stream provides users with a mechanism to curate their online experience. This ability is beneficial for managing information overload, reducing exposure to content that is perceived as irrelevant or negative, and prioritizing content from individuals or sources deemed more valuable. Historically, managing content streams on social media platforms was less granular, making the “unfollow” feature a significant development in user control.