4 Types of People You Should Never Friend on Facebook

Facebook can be a wonderful communication tool for friends, but it can also get a little too familiar and invasive if you don't manage it properly. In terms of friendship, there are several people that you should never become friends with because it will just add too much drama to your already busy and complicated life.

Unlike other forms of social media, Facebook can show people a much more intimate look at your life, and once you have friended someone there is usually a lot of drama involved in unfriending them. Instead, it's best to hold off on approving these types of friend requests. 

Don't Send Friend Requests to an Ex

Sad young woman sitting on beach
valentinrussanov/Getty Images

Do yourself a favor and never friend an ex on Facebook, even if you are friends in real life. 

If you weren't friends with your ex before your relationship, it's probably not a good idea to try and be Facebook friends now. Facebook should be an extension of your personal life, which means developing your relationships, sharing pictures, and having more communication with genuine friends (real life or online). However, if you friend someone based on the fact that you used to go out and then broke up, you're beginning things on a negative note right from the start.

It might be tempting to see what your ex is up to, but you'll probably get more information that you ever wanted or needed. Look at their friendship as the equivalent of going back a few steps into the past. Do you really want to do that?

Never Friend Your Bosses, Coworkers, or Clients

#MuslimGirls at Work
Muslim Girl/Getty Images

It's one thing to encourage a work friendship, and another entirely to show them your life in a public way, as you would if they were on Facebook. You should try to get on friendly terms with your coworkers if you can to help with overall job satisfaction and work environment, but be cautious before sending that Facebook friend request.

Giving a coworker access to your Facebook page can change their opinion of you before they even take time to get to know you personally. So if you're interested in becoming genuine friends with them, wait to friend them until you've spent a considerable amount of time together outside of work.

If you talk frequently with clients, they too might want to hang out with you in the Facebook world. But unless you're comfortable with them seeing pictures of your kids and special family moments, tell them you only have a few close friends on your Facebook list. You could even tell them you don't use the site that much. That should satisfy any complaints about denying their request.

Never Friend Strangers

Social Network Cyber Safety Concept
NiroDesign/Getty Images

Complete strangers should never be on your friend list. If you get a friend request from someone you don't know and there isn't a message explaining who they are, hit "delete request" or even block. Facebook will then ask you if you know this person outside of Facebook, and you should say "no." That way, they won't have a chance to friend you again.

If there is a good reason why a complete stranger is sending you a friend request (such as, you're mildly famous or have a job where you regularly interact with strangers on the Web), then you might consider it. Otherwise, just hit ignore, because these people will never really be your real friend.

Wait Before Friending Acquaintances

Oman talking with friends at table during party
Thomas Barwick/Iconica/Getty Images

You might see certain people here and there in passing, but wait until you know them better before you friend them. Once you let them into your Facebook world, it could get awkward if you find out that they were never interested in becoming your friend, and instead just accepted your friend request so they could nose around in your photo album or see what your personal life is really like.

If you get a friend request from someone you're barely acquainted with, wait to respond. Perhaps you two will start up a friendship, and if you do, then you can let the friend request go through.