This New Facebook Feature Will Ruin Your Friendships and Your Dignity

Facebook is trying out a new feature that will probably ruin your friendships: a "seen" feature on event invites. Basically, now anyone can tell whether or not you've seen an event invite even if you haven't RSVP'd. This includes both the host and guests of an event, so you can easily see if your crush has "seen" an event and figure out if he or she will attend. You'll also get a notification asking you to let the hosts of an event know whether or not you're going — presumably because Facebook knows you saw it and is trying to keep you accountable.

While this is only in the testing stages for certain Facebook users, it's definitely not pleasant. Facebook already features read receipts on Messages, but if you don't like it and/or consider it an invasion of privacy, you can turn it off with a Chrome extension. There's no such thing yet for Invite receipts, which can only lead to awkward questions and feeling guilty for not RSVPing. Guess we'll see if Facebook decides to roll out it to all users – we're hoping it doesn't.

If you're part of the testing group, you'll see this at the top of the Invited part of an event.
POPSUGAR Photography | Ann-Marie Alcántara

If you're part of the testing group, you'll see this at the top of the Invited part of an event.

And if you're a host or guest of an event, you can tell exactly who's seen the invite.
POPSUGAR Photography | Ann-Marie Alcántara

And if you're a host or guest of an event, you can tell exactly who's seen the invite.

You'll also get a notification reminding you about an event if you've looked at it.
POPSUGAR Photography | Lisette Mejia

You'll also get a notification reminding you about an event if you've looked at it.

Whether you're a guest or host, this feature is definitely worrisome.
MTV

Whether you're a guest or host, this feature is definitely worrisome.

At least now you'll have a better idea if you should cancel an event if everyone's seen it but hasn't responded — and who your real friends are.