Facebook tests snooze button that lets users temporarily unfollow friends

Do you get tired of friends who constantly post annoying Facebook content? Even the most patient of us can get irritated by yet another photo of someone's lunch or children, the hundredth inspirational quote, or those regular gym visit updates. Unfriending is a bit excessive, so permanently unfollowing them tends to be the only other option. But Facebook could soon give users another choice: temporary muting.

The Snooze button, as the social network is calling it, is currently being tested by the site. The new feature, which is accessible via a post’s drop-down menu, essentially lets you unfollow friends, Pages, or Groups for a set amount of time, either 24 hours, seven days, or 30 days.

"We're testing new ways to give people control over their News Feeds so they can stay connected with the stories they find most relevant," a spokesperson told TechCrunch .

Exactly how many people are now seeing the Snooze button, and how long Facebook has been testing it, is unclear. As is the case with all experimental News Feed features, there’s no guarantee it will ever be rolled out to all users.

Hopefully, Facebook will turn the Snooze option into a permanent fixture for everyone. One of the problems with unfollowing friends is that many users never start following them again, either because they simply forget or prefer to keep them hidden. This can lead to awkward real-life encounters with the people in question, especially when trying to explain how you missed their last six months’ worth of posts. A temporary option would allow regular opportunities to see if they’ve changed their irritating Facebook habits.