Facebook question

What is the purpose of "following" someone as opposed to "friending " them.
I know for like business accounts and celebs and stuff you follow them to see their updates on your feed....but I often see regular old people who's acoounts say.... 20 followers. But they have like 200 friends. Aren't your friends your followers? Why is it 2 separate things?
I was always confused by that.

Facebook question

Good question, I'd like to know too. My dads wife's family and some of their friends that I have never met, keep "following" me on Facebook and I keep having to add them to my block list. The only thing that is visible on my profile to my non friends is my cover photo and profile pic, so I am not sure if anything else can be seen if you "follow" someone.

Re: Facebook question

When I see adds of pages friends are following and click on the 3 dots on top, one of the options I see is "unfollow xxx Stop seeing posts but stay friends". I'm guessing when you unfollow a friend you stop seeing their posts. I wonder if when you friend someone, you automatically start following them.

Re: Facebook question

I’ve never followed a regular person without being friend with them. That’s for celebrities or sometimes I follow local photographers and such. I unfollowed a lot of my FB friends since the election (it’s just easier that way)
When you friend someone, you automatically follow them - so you’d have to click unfollow if they are serial posters.

But I have no idea why someone would follow people without friending them unless it’s a celebrity, large company, or local page of some kind

Re: Facebook question

I think the purpose of having following is so that you have the ability to unfollow.

I unfollowed someone who was constantly posting really enraging political and social comments. If following didn't exist, then I couldn't unfollow.

So I guess it is there for the sake of its opposite lol?

Re: Facebook question

Posted by oldtimerocknroll

I think the purpose of having following is so that you have the ability to unfollow.

I unfollowed someone who was constantly posting really enraging political and social comments. If following didn't exist, then I couldn't unfollow.

So I guess it is there for the sake of its opposite lol?

Re: Facebook question

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by oldtimerocknroll

I think the purpose of having following is so that you have the ability to unfollow.

I unfollowed someone who was constantly posting really enraging political and social comments. If following didn't exist, then I couldn't unfollow.

So I guess it is there for the sake of its opposite lol?

But you can unfollow a friend.
So if you are friends with someone you cam unfollow them but remain friends.
But on some people's profiles it will say....25 followers.
Now I have over 100 friends but it doesn't say anything on my profile about followers.
It's almost like followers are different than friends?
Who knows.... confusing

Facebook question

I recently followed someone I wasn't friends with so I would get her updates in my feed. It was regarding a missing person case. The girl was found, so I unfollowed her.