by Glenn Magas

Created on: September 29, 2009   Last Updated: October 10, 2009

As you spend more time on Facebook your list of friends can grow extremely large. You begin to accept 'friends of friends' as well as people in groups you join. As a social networking site it is the goal for your social network to grow. But sometimes you need to do a little bit of 'spring cleaning' and "defriend" a person (or people) from your list of friends.

Here are the Top 5 reasons to 'defriend' a person on FaceBook.

1. Harassment issues
2. Spammers
3. Dead-Beats
4. An old flame
5. Your boss

There are many more reasons to 'defriend' a person, but if you want to get a good start, start with these Top 5 reasons!

1. Harassment issues

Take immediate action. Facbook is 'social networking site' and not a place to be harassed for one reason or any. If you feel a person is harassing you in any form, immediately delete them and take the security/privacy actions to block them from seeing your statuses or anything private that you may have on Facebook.

2. Spammers

If you're inbox continues to be filled with request to join a new business, or is always in the self-interest of the person sending you a message, this could be a form of harassment. This is defineately a good reason to delete this person from your friends list.

3. Deadbeats

These are flash-in-the-pan Facebook users. Those who log on, get all excited, become social with many people and just as fast, disappear from the networking site altogether. You've tried to email them, post on their wall, and no response. They don't update their status, or pictures, and are just taking up space on your friend's list. So... "defriend" them!

4. An old flame

Do you want to set yourself up for disaster? Especially if you have a boyfriend or girlfriend already? Well, if you do, then be friends with all your past lovers and/or girlfriends or boyfriends. Sure, your current partner is 'cool'. But how cool are they really? Next thing you know they are friends with their exes and you find that an issue and they say, 'well, you're friends with so-and-so what's wrong with me being friends with so-and-so?" Do you really want that conversation?

5. Your boss

Your boss does NOT need to know when or how often you are on Facebook. "Defriending" a boss as well as making sure to set your 'chat' to 'inactive' when you log on to work is highly recommended. Your boss does not need to know what you did over the weekend, what you are doing in the middle of the day during work, or what time you went to the bathroom. They don't need to know that you are friends with shady individuals or belong to groups that they may feel inappropriate. And they do not need to see pictures of you in a bathing suit or on the golf course when you called in sick that day. Be a good judge of character at work, and don't let some rumor spread because you were friends with the CFO's secretary.

There you have it. The Top 5 Reasons to 'defriend' a person on Facebook. Follow these reasons and your list of friends will dwindle down to those that really matter.

Learn more about this author, Glenn Magas.
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