An Australian relationship coach has asked men and women whether it's okay to block someone on social media after a few dates - and the responses are divided.
Expert Louanne Ward, from Perth in Western Australia, posed the controversial question in her Facebook group She Said, He Said, calling on members to decide when it's appropriate to block from your social profiles - if ever.
Some people said that it's perfectly reasonable to block someone if they are being disrespectful or 'creepy' during your encounters and this doesn't make you a bad person, while others said they had been on the receiving end of being blocked and thought it to be rude.
Expert Louanne Ward (pictured, from Perth in Western Australia, posed the controversial question in her Facebook group She Said, He Said
'You should see my block list... Seriously though, no it's not rude to block someone if they are being disrespectful to you, harassing you or making threats and being abusive,' one woman said.
'I have blocked a few men for these reasons. I'm a very honest person and I will tell someone if I'm not interested or if I have reasons for not wanting to pursue something further.
'When my honesty is ignored and I'm instead inundated with smothering or scary messages, I will block that person. I've also blocked men and women over the years who I believe to be toxic for me. You have to protect yourself.'
Another said: 'It's not rude to set boundaries and NOT welcome people into your life. You're not obligated to have open lines of communication with everyone you've ever met.'
Another person added to the debate: 'If they are rude and obnoxious so be it' (stock image)
'If you've said goodbye or had some kind of natural end to the interaction, for example three dates but no chemistry, or expressed desire to pursue a relationship, it's not rude to block however it also depends on the context of your interaction.'
A third added: 'If they are rude and obnoxious so be it'.
But others weren't so sure a simple block was the way forward, as the other person would be wondering why this had been the favourable outcome.
'I like to think I'm a nice guy and put no demands on the person I'm dating. So I would rather someone tell me if I've done something wrong as it could give me a chance to work on myself whether I agree with them or not,' one man said.
Louanne agreed that sometimes overly persistent dates needed to learn a lesson the hard way (stock image)
'I would consider it rude if there wasn't an explanation,' said another.
Another said: 'I don't bother blocking anyone and I've had no issues'.
Louanne agreed that sometimes overly persistent dates needed to learn a lesson the hard way.
'Boundaries are necessary for self-preservation and it certainly isn't always easy declining an offer for further dates, some people have a problem taking no for an answer and cross the line too many times,' she said.
'Interestingly it's rare you regret blocking someone and more common you regret not blocking them.'
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