Facebook has changed the dating world by introducing new obstacles and complications to relationships. It allows people to monitor their partners and exes' activities online, which can negatively impact emotional recovery after breakups. Studies show Facebook surveillance of exes is linked to continued distress and inhibited personal growth. While dating in the Facebook era is challenging, relationships faced difficulties even before social media. Overall, more research is still needed to determine the extent Facebook has impacted love and relationships.

1. Love in the Time of Facebook:
How Facebook has Changed the Dating World
Image Credit: WebRankingPictures

2. Meeting/dating/relationship-ing
was hard enough before 2003.
Image Credit: Scott Spiegel Source:Allison McCann, How Facebook Ruined Dating (And Breaking Up Too)

3. And then
Facebook
created a whole new set of
obstacles,
awkward conversations,
and
unclear situations.
Image Credit: maheshmedindia Source:Allison McCann, How Facebook Ruined Dating (And Breaking Up Too)

4. Can I like their profile picture?
Are we “Facebook Official”?
Can I tag them in this photo?
Are they flirting with that person?
Why did they post a winking face?
Can their parents read this?
Is this picture of us too ‘couple-y’?
Am I Facebook stalking them too much?
Do I have to change my relationship status?
Why does that person keep ‘Liking’ and commenting on their photos? Do they like him/her?
Is ‘Liking’ their photo too forward?
Image Credit: phillippesarts

5. to check up on their significant others,
see what others are doing on the Internet,
and checking people out,
And with over 60% of college students using Facebook
it is no wonder that relationships have experienced a new type of strain from social media.
Image Credit: King-dating
Source: Robert S.Tokunga,Social networking site or social surveillance site?

6. On Facebook, relationships have to fit into in a
pull down menu of a few options — it’s one of the only places...where you
can’t fill in the blank.
Image Credit: LaCris
Source:Allison McCann, How Facebook Ruined Dating (And Breaking Up Too)

7. The difficulty of dating in the era of
Facebook
is not just in your head, either.
Source:Allison McCann, How Facebook Ruined Dating (And Breaking Up Too)Image Credit: JesseWright

8. Researchers have found that Facebook
really is altering, or at least reflecting,
new relationship patterns-
even how people break up.
Source:Allison McCann, How Facebook Ruined Dating (And Breaking Up Too)

9. “It could definitely be a constraint for people, another step in the breakup process that
could perhaps reduce the likelihood of breaking up.”
- Gretchen Kelmer
Source:Allison McCann, How Facebook Ruined Dating (And Breaking Up Too)Image Credit: PhillipZminda

10. Even if you and your partner decide you want to break up,
pressure from friends and family on Facebook may hinder your decision.
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11. Before Facebook, ending a relationship actually
meant the end of communication--
for the most part.
Image Credit: NicadlrSource:Allison McCann, How Facebook Ruined Dating (And Breaking Up Too)

12. Not anymore.
Once you finally manage to sever offline ties, there’s really
no way to avoid virtual run-ins with your ex
unless you’re off of Facebook entirely.
Source:Allison McCann, How Facebook Ruined Dating (And Breaking Up Too)

13. Not only do people use Facebook to monitor the activities of current
romantic partners, but as many as one-third use Facebook to
keep tabs on former romantic partners
Source: Tara Marshall, Facebook Surveillance of Former Romantic Partners:
Associations with PostBreakup Recovery and Personal Growth
Image Credit: iHughes22

14. Facebook surveillance of ex-partners has been linked to negative outcomes...
The potential for Facebook contact and surveillance of an ex can
disrupt emotional recovery and growth following a breakup.
Source: Tara Marshall, Facebook Surveillance of Former Romantic Partners: Associations with PostBreakup Recovery and Personal Growth
Image Credit: TheAspiringPhotographer

15. By not having a
“clean break”
from your ex,
your emotional state
and ability to move on
from your relationship
is impeded by Facebook.
Source: Rachel Elphinston: Time to Face It! Facebook Intrusion and the Implications for Romantic Jealousy and Relationship Satisfaction Image Credit:Victoria Soderstrom

16. Remaining Facebook friends with a former partner
and checking his or her Facebook profile is
associated with continuing breakup-related
distress, negative feelings, desire for the ex-
partner, and inhibited personal growth.
Source: Rachel Elphinston: Time to Face It! Facebook Intrusion and the Implications for Romantic Jealousy and Relationship Satisfaction Image Credit: Obanchito

17. The results of studies suggest that young people's levels
of Facebook intrusion can impact their romantic
relationships
negatively.
Source: Rachel Elphinston: Time to Face It! Facebook Intrusion and the Implications for Romantic Jealousy and Relationship Satisfaction Image Credit: GoingSlo

18. From the initial moments of a budding relationship, and even when ending the relationship,
couples on Facebook are faced with a lower level of
privacy and seclusion which could result in further issues.
Image Credit: SangronCito

19. But as complicated as Facebook has made it to date someone, stay dating, stop dating and
move on —
these things were really freaking hard to do before Facebook.
Source:Allison McCann, How Facebook Ruined Dating (And Breaking Up Too) Image Credit: DanielAdamstm

20. But there’s no research (yet) that says the advent of
Facebook
has ruined love, so there is still hope.
Source:Allison McCann, How Facebook Ruined Dating (And Breaking Up Too) Image Credit: mkhmarketing

21. Image Credit:
All images are sourced via the Flickr Creative
Commons. Each image is the property of its
respective designer and is licensed under the
Creative Commons Non-Commercial Share-
Alike agreement .

22. Sources
http://www.buzzfeed.com/atmccann/how-facebook-ruined-dating-and-
breaking-up-too
http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/cyber.2012.0125
http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/cyber.2010.0318
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1040722422
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563210002724