You've probably unfriended someone on Facebook at one time or another – whether it's the relative who bombards you with Farmville requests, the ex-colleague you never really liked, or that girl you met at summer camp (30 years ago). They have 300 other virtual pals, so it's not like they'll notice, right?
Maybe not.
The rising popularity of a browser add-on called Unfriend Finder means your secret online dumpings might not be so secret any more. The application, which can be downloaded online for free, has reportedly been installed by more than 44 million people. Put simply, it notifies you when a Facebook contact unfriends you or deactivates his or her account.
If you don't add an Unfriend user in the first place, that person will still know he's been snubbed.The extension keeps tracks of the friend requests a user sends out, so people can see who has chosen to ignore them (or leave them in "friend request pending" limbo).
Those who download the app and encounter a long list of "unfriends" may wonder why so many people have rejected their online friendship. According to a recent poll by U.S. social-media tracking firm NM Incite, it's probably because they were too lewd, crude or prejudiced; 55 per cent of respondents said they'd drop a Facebook friend who made offensive comments. A further 14 per cent would unfriend someone over political remarks.
While some commenters on Mashable, a popular techie site, are excited about the social-media game-changer, others prefer to remain clueless. "These workarounds are easy enough for those who want to know. I don't. Other people's opinions of me and what I post are not interesting to me," one person wrote.
Others pointed out the obvious: If you wouldn't know that a person has deleted you without using a computer script, you're probably not that close to begin with.
Will you be downloading this app ? Who have you unfriended and why?