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Q. Help! I am so annoyed! People keep adding me to Facebook Groups without asking me first! Suddenly I’m getting notices from people I haven’t even met in my inbox. Get this, I was added to a group for a high school reunion and I didn’t even go to that high school!
Don’t people have to ask before adding me to a Facebook Group? How can I quit the group? I can’t find a Quit Group button! Do I have to ask to leave a group?
A. You’re right, Facebook Groups can be incredibly annoying when you’re added without your permission, especially when the Group has nothing to do with you.
[note]See, Find a New Favorite Facebook Group with Enhanced Search for ideas on finding new Facebook Groups to join. [/note]
If you want to leave a Facebook Group, go to the Group’s page and look for the Settings symbol on the upper right hand corner of the page, below the pictures of the members of the group. Click on the Settings symbol and then click “Leave Group.”
Facebook will ask you to confirm your decision. Click “Leave Group” and you will be unsubscribed from the Group.
After you’ve left the Group you won’t see it listed in the Groups section on the left side of your Facebook page, you won’t get email notices from the group, and you won’t see posts from the Group in your News Feed.
If you want to stay in the Group without getting email notices from them, click on Notifications (to the left of the Settings icon), Settings and un-check the email option.
To learn more about Facebook Groups, check out the Facebook Groups Help Page.
The Netiquette on Facebook Groups hasn’t evolved yet, but so many people have told me about their annoyance with Facebook Groups that I strongly suggest that people be asked before they’re added to a Facebook Group.
Personally, I have mixed feelings about being added to Facebook Groups. Sometimes I’ve been delighted at being added to a Group. Other times I was annoyed when I was added to a Group. You shouldn’t hesitate to leave a Group if it’s not a good fit for you.
Have you ever been added to a Facebook Group without being asked first? Do you like Facebook Groups or do you find them annoying? Have you ever quit a Facebook Group? What do you think the Netiquette is about being added to a Group without being asked first? Let us know in the Comments section below!
This is news to me Carolyn!
I never knew groups could add you automatically, or guess none has added me as yet, though I have looked around for groups to join and after their permission- joined in, if it wasn’t an open group. And I don’t have all that many groups as yet too that I’ve joined, just a handful of them.
But yes, sometimes when I want to leave a group, I do exactly as you mentioned – so far so good. 🙂
Thanks for sharing as I’m sure it would help those didn’t know about it.:)
Hi Harleena, Yes, you can be added to a Facebook Group without your permission. If you have signed up for email notices, suddenly your inbox can be full of notices from people you don’t know. The reader who told me about the issue had the bad luck of being added to a totally unrelated Group.
I was added to a Group by someone who just posted items for sale. I quit that group and unfriended the person.
On the other hand, I have been added to some really fantastic Groups on Facebook without being consulted before but they have been great.
I hope you only get added to wonderful Groups, Harleena, so that you never need this information! 🙂
Hi Carolyn,
This happens to me all the time. What’s up with that? I don’t really mind if I know the person well and I know I can benefit from the group. But it’s really annoying when I am added to a group I have nothing in common with.
I had been looking for the leave button — it’s not easy to find — and I have also turned of “Notifications” on some groups that interest me, but just been getting too much notifications from.
Very useful article, Carolyn. Thanks for sharing your insights!
Have a great weekend!
Ilka
Hi Ilka, Wow, it sounds as if you really need to know how to leave Facebook Groups. You’re right, it’s not obvious how to do it. Kinda makes you think that Facebook doesn’t want you leaving them perhaps? 😕
Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us, Ilka. Great to see you here again at The Wonder of Tech!
Hi, Carolyn!
This is an interesting and annoying issue! I have been added to many groups, the most worthless are those who do not even ask. I am really glad it is one-two-three clicks (there is an edit function at the left bar on your own page as well) and they are gone, it took me some time to realise that by not leaving the group you can be tagged (and therefore will be closely linked to that group).
I am part of some very good groups with various interests and I enjoy the interaction, interesting that all these groups have asked prior to adding me or you had to apply to be invited.
Thanks, Carolyn, for sharing this and have a great weekend, spring (or should I say summer as the temperature reached a soaring 32° C?) is finally back, wishing you a sunfilled weekend,
Barbara
Hi Barbara, it sounds as if this issue is a pet peeve for you too! Groups can be great when they are based on a topic of interest for you. They’re a way of easily being update by members of a group. Two Groups that are working exceptionally well for me right now are one for a college reunion and one for bloggers. But I also quit one recently that was just trying to sell things. When I heard from a reader about being added to a Group for a high school reunion and she did didn’t even go to that high school, I knew that this was an issue that needed to be discussed.
I’m very glad you have found some fun, relevant Groups to join, Barbara. That helps to show that Groups can be great when they work well.
Wow, sounds like Summer has arrived in Switzerland! We had warm temperatures earlier this month but last night it got down to 1° C here so winter is back!
I agree Carolyn,
I get SO annoyed when people add me to a group without asking me if I would like to join. To me it’s like people requesting my friendship. I don’t know these people, I don’t know why they want to be friends, and they didn’t even have the common courtesy to email me and let me know why we should connect. So I immediately ignore their request and the same goes for groups.
People should just be more respectful. I’m glad you were able to help with this Carolyn and show them how easily it is to just leave before people start hounding you with notifications.
Thanks Carolyn for this post. You’ve been a huge help.
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne, it’s funny because my two best Groups now are ones I was put in without being asked: a college reunion Group and a blogger’s Group. Both times I was flattered that someone thought to put me in the Group. Another group that I asked to join hasn’t been a great fit, so you never know, I guess.
But I’m certain you’re not the only one who resents being added to a Group without being asked first, so it’s best to ask people before adding them.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, Adrienne! 🙂
Hey Carolyn
Nice tips its very discussing people add you in Groups without permission and the notifications and chats without annoying people it’s discussing I really appreciate your guide about hiding this type of group I first only hide chat with chat form but now I completely leave that type of groups with your tips.
Hi Rizwan, Great point. Yes, you can hide Groups and people from your News Feed, but then why have them on your Facebook account? It’s best to leave a group if it isn’t a good fit so you can’t be tagged by the other members. 🙂
I never encountered someone’s is adding me in a group. Perhaps, they dont like me 🙁 Hi Carolyn, Anyway, 🙂 thanks for giving me information at least, in the future i know how to deal with it.
Hi Joseph, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I’m certain that your lack of being placed in a Facebook Group without your permission is due to the exquisite manners of your friends. You are certainly not alone, judging from these comments. Perhaps someone should form a Facebook Group for those who are not otherwise in Groups?
Hi Carolyn,
Keep doing posts like this. It took me a while to actually find out how to leave a Facebook group, and I’m sure so many people are asking this question. It’s not hard when you know the answer, but so annoying when you don’t 🙂
Awesome tutorial.
Hi Jens, You’re right, it’s easy when you know how to leave a Group, but if you don’t know, it can be a challenge. The method is well-hidden, which can add to the annoyance, as you wisely point out.
Thanks for your kid words, Jens. I hope you had a magnificent weekend! 🙂
How timely; someone added me to ‘young gay Natzi’s for Christ’ group, obviously they didn’t know my age…………:).
I’m not structured enough in FB for it to be annoying, but this will certainly help if I need to bail out of any group.
I just recently started putting lists together. I know you did a post on it and should probably go back and look, but is there an easier way than doing one person at a time?
Hi Bill, I’m glad you haven’t had the experience of being added to a Group that was annoying.
You’re right, Anna Blake did a guest post on Facebook lists in January. Here is the link: https://wonderoftech.com/manage-your-relationships-the-easy-way-with-facebook-lists/
I don’t know any way to add people to lists other than individually. I wish there were an easier way.
Like Bill Dorman said that you can get added to all sorts of groups.. It’s things like this why I don’t really like facebook, but then again it’s something you are almost forced to be part of, to not get left out. Imagine you go on a vacation and don’t check your page for a while, I don’t even want to think about it 🙂
Hi JD, You bring up a great point. Facebook should have a setting that you can choose to require that people ask you before adding you to a Group. That would make a lot of sense. 🙂
Thanks for the useful information. I’ve shared it on FB and on Twitter.
Hi Tasha, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I’m very glad you found this information helpful. Thanks so much for sharing this, Tasha! 🙂
Carolyn, aloha. Yes, I have been added to many a group without being asked. If I like the people and the topic is relevant, I stay in the group to see how it evolves. However, if I don’t know the people and can’t even begin to guess why I was added, I leave the group immediately.
While I understand being your comment on being delighted to be added to a group, personally I find more annoying additions than delightful ones.
If I were starting a fb group, I would ask the people first because that is the courtesy I would like extended to me.
Since I prefer fb to G+–probably because I rarely spend any time on the latter–I like fb groups. Several of my groups are quite active. One of the features that I like about the group is seeing the ongoing thread. Also, since I am on fb anyway, it is very easy for me to check.
Best wishes to you for a terrific week ahead. Until next time, aloha. Janet
Hi Janet, You bring up an excellent point! People might be very annoyed by being added to a Group, but it makes sense to stick around to see whether the Group is a good fit or not. Since the Netiquette isn’t well established, the admins of the Group may not realize that there is an issue with their inviting people without asking first. You could quite immediately, taking offense, or stick around to see whether the Group is worth joining. It sounds like you choose the latter approach which is a wise one.
Thanks for sharing your insightful comment with us, Janet! 🙂
This is really frustrating when someone adds you into unwanted Facebook Group, and since then you start receiving unwanted notifications. Though I already know how to unsubscribe to Facebook Group… but I’m sure many readers would come to know about unsubscribing process.
Hi Aasma, You’re right, it can be very annoying, both to be added to an unwanted Group and to get the notifications. But you can adjust your notifications as I show in the article. You may decide you like the Group but don’t want the notifications.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your comment with us, Aasma! 🙂
Hey Carolyn,
It is indeed very annoying to be added to groups of any kind. But yes people do it in order to increase the size of the group. If I like the group though, I stay in it and turn notifications to level I can handle. But most of the times, I leave group.
This is really going to help people who are added to groups without permission. Thanks for all this information 🙂
Hi Ashvini, You’re right, if people are forming a large Group, it may be cumbersome to request permission from everyone and stay on top of the responses. I agree, if I get added to a group, I generally stick around and try the Group out to see if it’s a good fit. I have become part of some wonderful groups that way! 🙂
I have always wondered about this thing! Facebook is riddled with these security issues and still they let people add friends to groups with out their permission. I would have thought they’d remove this option long time ago, but no…
Great post, Carolyn!
Hi Kris, You’re right, there could be a security issue with this. You can be put in a Group without your permission and be tagged by strangers. Only your friends can put you in a Group without your permission but other members of the Group can tag you. There is clearly discontent with this feature though not the seeming outrage necessary to inspire change at Facebook.
Hi Carolyn,
Facebook groups are great way to connect with new friends with similar interests if we were added into right group. But the most annoying thing is adding us to a group without our knowledge and it gets worst if we never like to be in it. Mostly it happens to me, ’cause my friends in groups or they’ve created them and add me afterwards. It’s better if it was a request and we have to confirm before we added into a group.
Glad to see this one is not just about leaving a group 🙂 Obviously you’ve mentioned each step clearly and people stuck in groups now find it really easy 🙂 Apart from that the interesting part is you’ve told them how to manage notification. I never wanna have my notifications in inbox. Never. That’s really appreciated 🙂
I have a post writing about Facebook groups in draft and definitely I don’t write about leaving a group and managing notifications. I’m gonna send my readers here by linking back to this one when it comes to those topics 🙂
Really informative post Carolyn 🙂 Well done…
Cheers…
Hi Mayura, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! You’re right, it’s important not to react too quickly when you’re added to a Facebook Group without being asked first. Of course, if you’re added to a Group that has nothing to do with you, such as the reader who asked the question was, feel free to leave immediately. But you might want to hang around to see if the Group is a good fit for you.
Thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate your comment and your sharing this post, Mayura! 🙂
Honestly, I am often annoyed by the way some friends of mine made on Facebook to add my account in their group. So glad I found a useful tips to leave the group on facebook. Thank you for this helpful info.
Hi Gertrude, You’re not alone. I’m glad you are able to use the information in this article so that Facebook is a more pleasant experience for you!