Another change is rolling out on Facebook. You will soon see a “Subscribe” button in the top right corner of user profiles. This feature is considered game changing by many, as TheNextWeb.com states it could “eliminate your desire to use any other social network.”
Twitter and Google+ both allow for asymmetrical user following, meaning you can follow someone to receive their updates, etc., but that person isn’t required to return the favor. The Subscribe feature changes that on the Facebook platform. Basically, users can share updates with others without befriending them on Facebook. It’s a lot like “following” someone on Twitter.
Naomi Gleit, a product manager who helped develop the Subscribe button, had this to say about the Subscribe button, “This will allow people to broaden conversations beyond just their friends.” She used the example of people being able to subscribe to interesting people like bloggers and journalists.
Here are some quick highlights of the Subscribe feature:
- The subscribe button is optional. You don’t have to subscribe to others and you can disable others from subscribing to you. (You must choose to opt-in to enable the Subscribe button.)
- If you are friends with someone, you can choose what you subscribe to. You can choose life events, status updates, photos and videos and games. (This will keep you from receiving annoying game updates and notifications.)
- You can elect to receive all updates, most updates or only important updates.
- If you subscribe to someone who is not your friend, then you will only be able to see public updates.
For maximum privacy don’t enable the feature. To read Facebook’s introduction to the feature, click here.
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