Facebook changes features like Kim Kardashian changes husbands. Just when users get comfortable with the latest iteration of "New Facebook," Zuckerberg and company go and change something else, drawing the ire of its millions of users. Here are six Facebook annoyances that are currently grinding our gears and ways to deal with each.
Problem #1: Trending Box is in Your Face
Facebook may have been late to the #Hashtag world, but when it got into the fray it did so all the way. And thus was born the Trending box, which some of you may or may not have yet. This is a list of most-talked-about topics on Facebook. You may or may not want to click on them, but there's definitely no easy way to get rid of it -- which is the ultimate in annoying.
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Solution: Users looking to ditch the Trending box, you'll need to download the F.B. Purity extension for Firefox or add-on for Chrome. There are also options for Safari and Opera. In addition to removing the Trending box, this little program can stop Facebook from autoplaying videos, alert you when a friend deletes you, filter posts by keywords, remove any links to articles or videos so your News Feed is all personal updates, among other things.
Problem #2: Facebook Timeline Shares Your Worst Moments With the World
There used to be a time where you could just delete that embarrassing photo from Facebook, and if you were prone to drunk posting, you could rest easy in the knowledge that soon it would disappear from your timeline never to be seen again. With the new iteration of Timeline, every bad picture and misspelled status update will be on display forever.
Solution: While you might not be able to erase all those regrettable photos and statuses of yore, you can control who gets to see them. Simply pull down the menu next to the Home button on your Facebook page and click Settings > Privacy. From there, next to "Limit the audience for posts you've shared with friends of friends or public" click Limit Past Posts. Click Limit Old Posts and this will revert all old posts to be seen only by Friends.
Problem #3: Your Facebook Subscribers Keep Spamming You
People looking to make part of their private Facebook pages public can open themselves up to subscribers, people who can sign up to read your updates without being approved "friends." Users can then follow those pages and hopefully have an invigorating exchange of ideas. However, many people are complaining of inordinate amounts of spam and inappropriate content filling their news feed.
Solution: Freedom from that unwanted spam is only a few clicks away. To turn off Facebook Subscribe, click on the Home button > Settings > Followers. Then uncheck the box next to Turn On Follow.
Problem #4: Facebook Apps Share Too Much Info About You
By default, apps like Spotify, Ticketmaster and Foursquare share every tiny detail of your life with all of your friends. Instead of just learning about a job promotion or a new relationship, all your contacts can now be privy to what tickets you purchased from Ticketmaster or what song you're listening to on Spotify. It’s great for advertisers, but an overshare nightmare for everyone else.
Solution: Don't want everyone to know you just listened to Kenny G. on Spotify? Just go to Privacy Settings, click Home > Settings > Apps. Then click Edit next to Instant Personalization. Uncheck the box that says "Enable instant personalization on partner websites."
Problem #5: Annoying App Invites
Facebook has become a haven for casual gamers who sink hours into crushing candies, building a criminal empire or creating a home for their SIM. Unfortunately many of these misguided souls insist on inviting you to join the “fun,” sending you invite after invite to join the next big “Ville,” deluging your Facebook notifications and annoying you to no end.
Solution: Click on the Home button and go to Settings. Click Blocking. From here you can block specific people from sending you app invites and well as block specific apps from sending you notifications and accessing your personal information.
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