Site Feedback What is the point of "following" someone?

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

When people first started following me, I'd follow back but the feature seems to do literally nothing? Like you don't get notified of their post and just...nothing happens?

 

[CoastTwoCoast]

I think it's a cool feature, if anything, it lets people know you support them. I'm not quite sure what it does though. Does it have anything to do with the "news feed"? When I click on my name, there's a "news feed" option. When you follow someone, I'm thinking the "news feed" lets you see their activity.

 

[somnilicious]

Yeah it's pretty much what CTC said. It is similar to friends on the old format and just shows you when they are online and their latest post in the newsfeed. I did the same thing by following people that followed me or if I liked some of the stuff they said but it never seemed to generate any interest or deeper connection. I found the label "following" as kinda creepy sounding and I got in my head that it was off putting so I generally just stopped paying attention.....lol

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

Yeah it's pretty much what CTC said. It is similar to friends on the old format and just shows you when they are online and their latest post in the newsfeed. I did the same thing by following people that followed me or if I liked some of the stuff they said but it never seemed to generate any interest or deeper connection. I found the label "following" as kinda creepy sounding and I got in my head that it was off putting so I generally just stopped paying attention.....lol

I'd be MUCH quicker to "friend" someone than follow. Definitely.

 

[CoastTwoCoast]

Haha It's all the same to me.

 

[Painful One]

Actually, you can set it up in your profile so that only the people on your friends list (people you are following) can send you private messages. This is the only thing that I see that “following“ someone does

It makes it possible to block just anyone from being able to send you private messages.

I have mine set up this way.

 

[TheLoveBandit]

I found the label "following" as kinda creepy sounding

We'll look into a mod that can rename it from 'following' to 'stalking' if that makes it feel more appropriate.

Actually, you can set it up in your profile so that only the people on your friends list (people you are following) can send you private messages. This is the only thing that I see that “following“ someone does

It makes it possible to block just anyone from being able to send you private messages.

I'll be honest, I haven't explored the 'follow' functionality much, but your insight is awesome. Thanks for sharing that bit.