Greetings, Abby Although I like using Facebook to stay in touch with family and friends, I have two uncles whose political posts have gotten more and more radical. They are angry and hateful in their messages. After the election, I thought things would settle down, but their rhetoric has gotten more heated.
I’ve unfriended people with similar opinions, but I’m afraid to do the same with relatives. I’ve attempted to ignore them for 30 days at a period, but the posts are even more distressing when they come back. Some of what they write deeply offends me. Is unfriending family acceptable? And how should I react if they see me and confront me? — VARIOUS IN TEXAS
DEAR DIFFERENT: You don’t have to read anything that makes you angry. This includes posts made by family members. Without unfriending someone, you can easily unfollow them. You can remove them from your feed if you’d want, though, as Facebook doesn’t tell anyone when someone has been unfriended. In the unlikely event that they confront you about it, explain your position calmly and honestly.
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