Make it FBO!

Maybe you have or maybe you haven't noticed, but Facebook has been going through a lot of changes lately. The changes I am most entertained by are their new additions to the lengthy list of relationship statuses one can be involved in. Before we only had five options, but Mark Zuckerberg and his rock star team has added "in an open relationship," "widowed," "separated," "divorced," "in a civil union," and "in a domestic partnership" to the the list. Though I recognize that relationships aren't always cut and dry, in a relationship or single, I question whether anyone would seriously admit to being in an open relationship with someone. Additionally, if someone were truly widowed, they probably wouldn't post it online because the people who would need to know would already know and they would probably consider that a rather personal bit of information as opposed to the public list of movies they like. No one who wants a smooth time in court for divorce would even consider putting separated on their profile as that's just asking for a temporary relationship while they are sorting things out. If someone were in a civil union they would likely consider his or herself in a relationship or married to their significant other before they posted their civil union on Facebook. And finally, the domestic partnership choice seems as if it may be taboo as one in a domestic partnership may be comfortable with their close family and friends seeing this relationship but maybe not their employer, etc.

With this being said, I question why Mark and his team felt it necessary to make these changes to their profile. After all, the problem with posting a legitimate relationship status on Facebook is that when (if) it ends, not only do you have to deal with the emotional fall out of the relationship ending, but you also have to make the relationship Facebook official, thus announcing what could be a very personal, painful experience to maybe 1,000-2000 people. For this reason, many people, even those in relationships have resorted to keeping their romantic lives offline and posting friendships in the form of relationships. The phenomenon of girls in relationships, complicated relationships, engagements, and marriages with their close friends is almost more common than two people posting their legitimate romantic relationship on Facebook. So why would Facebook feel it necessary to add SIX more entertaining relationship statuses for their users personal enjoyment?! I guarantee that in the coming weeks we will see a definite increase in girls in domestic partnerships and civil unions with each other simply because they are bored of their fictitious marriages and complicated relationships. What's next? I'm talking to ______, I am interested in _______ but haven't asked them out yet, I am casually dating ________, and the list goes on....