Facebook Couples Pages, Cute Or Cringe-Worthy?

Facebook has recently unveiled a specific page for couples. For many, this new Facebook couples page is cute while for others, it's just another way the pervasiv social network is invading their privacy.

Facebook launched the relationship page through a new URL, Facebook.com/us, reports CNN. The new link will lead users to a page dedicated to their Facebook relationship. The couples page will feature posts that both individuals are tagged in as well as photos, events, groups, mutual friends and other Facebook-related activities.

Friendship pages are not new, notes ZDNet, but these revamped pages are causing a fuss because they are not created by the individual and Facebook has, without permission, selected a photo to use for the profile image. These Friendship pages reveal a lot, including shared posts, mutual friends and any items both parties are tagged in and for some, it's a bit too easy to pry into other people's friendships.

Eileen Brown, author of the ZDNet article, notes that from the new Relationship page, someone can type in two names and look into their friendship and, in some cases, conversations between both parties. Brown notes that while a comment or update may have gone unnoticed in the past, Facebook has now isolated all those moments between two people for easy browsing on one page.

CNN notes that Facebook has not blindsided its nearly 1 billion users, as Friendship pages have been part of Facebook for two years. The important change is that there is a separate link which will direct users to the couples page and looks more like a user's Timeline.

The Telegraph's Emma Barnett notes that the couples page is not only invasive but rather creepy. Barnett remarks that the best part of Facebook is when users control it, the ease of sharing events, photos and just being social. But now Facebook is doing the socializing. Barnett writes, “But when you start doing things for us – the experience is anything but social or remotely positive. You have infantilised my relationship for me with the creation of www.facebook.com/us. Only I should get to do that.”

While the couples pages cannot be removed, there is some way to keep your privacy. Facebook spokesperson Jessie Baker said to CNN, “The Friendship page respects the privacy setting of each post. This means the person viewing the Friendship page may see each post elsewhere on Facebook, like on either friend's timeline or in news feed. You can curate your Friendship page by hiding stories you do not want to appear.” A person can delete the story or untag themselves from the post as well.