Breakup Notifier
Breakup Notifier was a web application written by product developer and programmer Dan Loewenherz that enabled its registered users to track the relationship status of their Facebook friends. An email notification was sent to the user when one of their Facebook friends changed their relationship status.{{cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/02/23/breakup-notifier/|title=Crush-Stalking App Breakup Notifier Amasses Over 3.6M Users, Is Shut Down By Facebook|last=Tsotsis|first=Alexia|work=TechCrunch|access-date=2017-12-07|language=en}}{{cite news|url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/facebook-ends-relationship-with-breakup-notifier-app/|title=Facebook ends relationship with Breakup Notifier app|date=2011-02-24|work=Digital Trends|access-date=2017-12-07|language=en-US}}{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/facebook-app-eliminates-e_n_2687880.html|title=Facebook App Eliminates All Traces Of Your Ex|date=2013-02-14|work=Huffington Post|access-date=2017-12-07|language=en-US}}{{cite news|url=https://www.pcmag.com/feature/286254/when-facebook-gets-creepy|title=When Facebook Gets Creepy|work=PCMAG|access-date=2017-12-07|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/smartphone-apps-tracking-keeping-tabs-past-lovers-people/story?id=13022144|title=Stalking Tech? Apps for Tracking, Keeping Tabs|date=2011-03-01|website=ABC News|access-date=2017-12-07}}
The app was one of the most viral Facebook app's at the time of its release. It was mentioned in a skit on The Jay Leno Show and news of its popularity was published in Time magazine,Friedman, Megan (February 21, 2011). [https://newsfeed.time.com/2011/02/21/creepy-yet-efficient-facebook-breakup-notifier-e-mails-you-when-friends-break-it-off/ "Creepy, Yet Efficient: Facebook 'Breakup Notifier' E-Mails You When Friends Break It Off"]. Time.Skarda, Erin (February 27, 2011). [https://newsfeed.time.com/2011/02/27/unrequited-love-lives-new-facebook-app-helps-you-meddle-in-others-relationships/ "Unrequited Love Lives: New Facebook 'Waiting Room' App Helps You Meddle in Others' Relationships"]. Time. The New York Post,[https://nypost.com/2011/02/21/breakup-notifier-alerts-you-when-your-love-interests-facebook-relationship-status-changes/ Breakup Notifier alerts you when your love interest's Facebook relationship status changes] CNET,[https://www.cnet.com/news/the-facebook-breakup-notifier-stalk-someone-you-like/ The Facebook Breakup Notifier: Stalk someone you like - CNET] and The Globe and Mail.{{cite news| url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/digital-culture/is-facebook-breakup-notifier-relationship-on-again/article567989/| title = Is Facebook, Breakup Notifier relationship on again? - The Globe and Mail| website = The Globe and Mail| date = 24 February 2011}}
Popularity and Facebook controversy
Breakup Notifier gathered 100,000 users in less than 24 hours of its launch and reached a user base of more than 3,000,000 in February 2011.{{cite news|url=https://gearburn.com/2013/06/7-apps-your-creepy-stalker-could-be-using-right-now/|title=7 apps your creepy stalker could be using right now|date=2013-06-03|work=Gearburn|access-date=2017-12-07|language=en-US}}{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/07/living/social-media-relationship/index.html|title='It's complicated': Handling social media when your relationship implodes |first=Sarah |last=LeTrent|work=CNN|access-date=2017-12-07}} Facebook then blocked the app.{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/creepy-app-spies-on-your-facebook-relationship-status-20110301-1bcg3.html|title='Creepy' app spies on your Facebook relationship status|last=Grubb|first=Ben|date=2011-03-01|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=2017-12-07|language=en-US}}{{cite news|url=http://guestofaguest.com/the-list/rachelles-reading-list-tuesday-feb-22nd-2011|title=Rachelle's Reading List: Tuesday, Feb. 22nd, 2011|work=Guest of a Guest|access-date=2017-12-07|language=en}}{{cite news|url=http://fudder.de/diese-app-sagt-dir-wann-dein-schwarm-single-ist--120091000.html|title=Diese App sagt dir, wann dein Schwarm Single ist - Freiburg - fudder.de|last=Zeitung|first=Badische|access-date=2017-12-07|language=de}}{{cite news|url=http://in.pcmag.com/audio/28995/news/apple-updates-ipod-nano-firmware-to-11|title=Apple Updates iPod Nano Firmware to 1.1|date=2011-02-24|work=PCMag India|access-date=2017-12-07|language=en-US}}
Loewenherz later created an app named Crush Notifier, which differs from the original app in that users can check if they have a mutual crush. Breakup Notifier was later unblocked by Facebook and monetized.{{cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/02/25/crushnotifier/|title=Crush Notifier, From The Makers Of Breakup Notifier, Finds Mutual Crushes|last=Tsotsis|first=Alexia|work=TechCrunch|access-date=2017-12-07|language=en}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://breakupnotifier.com/}}
- [https://dlo.me/ Dan Loewenherz]
- [https://www.crushnotifier.com/ Crush Notifier]