What not to do With Facebook Profiles When You Get Married

It seems like a trend among many of the people I know that once they get married, they "merge" their Facebook or other social networking profiles together, and use a name that combines both of theirs.  For example, something like "John Jane Doe", or something like that.

I dislike this trend (if only there was such a thing as dislike on Facebook, but that's another post for another time), and my reason for disliking the trend is that it becomes confusing who the messages are being posted by and seen by, and who is actually in our friends list, etc.  I also don't like how it combines both names together, without an "and" or something similar (it makes Jane look like John's middle name), and I don't like that if you were previously friends with one or both of the newly weds, you may have to re-friend them depending on how they go about making the newly-merged accounts.  And let's not even talk about divorces, and how that all plays out when the accounts have to be split... I can't imagine how that will work!

Instead, I think Facebook ought to promote the idea that married couples, if they want to have merged information, ought to create a Facebook page that represents their marriage, such as The John and Jane Doe Couple, or John and Jane are Hitched! page.  Assign both members of the marriage to be admins of the page, and both will be able to post as the page name and also receive posts from friends who post to the page directly.  Friends of the couple can also "like" the page to show their support or to receive updates on what they are up to as a couple, while letting those who only want individual updates from one of them to receive them through the husband's or wife's individual account.

There are many other benefits to this as well.  The page idea could be expanded to represent a family if the couple begins having children.  And in cases of divorce (which I hope never happens for my friends), the page can be dealt with or split up much easier.  If a couple doesn't want to create a page, they can always create an open or closed group relating to their marriage.  There are a few less things you can do with a group than you can with a page, but it is also an option.

Anyway, it's just something I've noticed happening more often and so if you're thinking of doing it yourself, hopefully some of the reasons I've given will help you change your mind.  What do you think?  Have a differing opinion?  Post a comment below.