Culture Club | Finally, you don't have to see what your exes are up to on Facebook

Social media today has become a platform for blatant self-promotion and advertising. But to billions of people in the world, it can be a field of emotional land mines, a bad dream that never seems to end.

Ironically, that is primarily down to many users allowing social media to play a major part in their lives – sharing thoughts in status updates, writing things on other people's walls, sharing news feeds, posting photos of friends and tagging them.

Then of course, there are people who have this thing for flaunting their very private affairs, posting photos of intimate moments with their boyfriend or girlfriend for all to see and shouting out loud to the world: "Hey, look at me and my sweet romance!"

It’s all well and good when the relationship is strong. But when things turn sour, what do you do?

Just last Thursday, the world’s largest social media platform launched a trial of a new tool to help you to get over a breakup and limit your exposure to your former boyfriend or girlfriend online.

According to Facebook, the new feature allows users to see less of your ex’s name, profile photo and status updates without you having to block or “unfriend” him or her – social media acts that many people regard as uncivilised or childish.