Facebook And Relationships (Part II)

Facebook has more than 500 million active users, 50% of whom are logged on at any given time, making it the largest social network in the world. The site has affected our lives in more ways than could possibly be counted, taking things that were once considered private and launching them squarely into the public sphere.

What is life like when every detail is recorded for the consumption of others?

Online Dating University tracked the activity of Facebook users in hopes of answering that question. Focusing on the effects of Facebook on users' love lives, Online Dating University found that sharing every aspect of your relationship with your social network can have several potentially negative consequences, including difficult break ups and increased feelings of jealousy.

To mitigate Facebook-related heartbreak, Online Dating University offered the following advice:

• Never underestimate the power of communication. If you're having a problem with your partner, be sure to ask if the issue was caused by something on Facebook. Ask what details your partner is and isn't comfortable sharing on Facebook, and respect their boundaries.
• Consider your partner's feelings when posting on Facebook. If something on your profile is causing your partner to feel jealous, consider making a few changes. Never use Facebook to intentionally inspire jealousy in someone.
• Be mindful of the insecurities Facebook can cause. Insecurities ran rampant online, so remember to spend plenty of quality time growing your relationship offline so that your partner feels loved, confident, and safe.
• Don't obsess over old relationships. It's tempting to follow every update on your ex's profile, but if it's causing you pain it's time to take action. Hide their updates from your news feed, and commit yourself to staying off their profile.
• Don't let your ex obsess over your life, either. If an ex is harassing you or invading your privacy, edit your privacy settings to hide certain information from them or prevent them from leaving comments on your profile.
• Don't leave a paper trail. This goes for all social networking sites, and for anyone whether or not they're in a relationship: be very careful about what information is posted about you online, and delete anything that may come back to haunt you in the future or could pose a threat to your safety.

Check out the infographic here, for an intriguing visual look at Online Dating University's findings, as well as more information on the ways Facebook affects your health and personality.

To find out more on how to use this social network as an online dating tool please read our Facebook.com review.