Texting, Facebook are the worst ways to break up with someone

THEY say breaking up is hard to do, but while text and email may seem the easier option it's a big risk to let your bad romance go viral.

Laura dumped her boyfriend via billboard: Twitter @jordanDWilson

RUSSELL Brand famously parted ways with wife Katy Perry in 2011, but the way they broke up made almost as many headlines as the split itself.

The singer revealed she learned about the divorce via text message and hadn't spoken to her former husband in months.

"Let's just say I haven't heard from him since he texted me saying he was divorcing me December 31, 2011," she told Vogue.

Getting a text like that is tough in anyone's book but just imagine if it was splashed across the internet. It comes as no surprise then that text messages and Facebook are among the worst ways to break up with someone, followed by Twitter and email.

In these days of modern technology with the ability for things to quickly go viral, it pays to err on the side of caution on how you call time on your relationship.

The case of an American woman's break up letter, listing the reasons why she dumped her boyfriend, shows why break ups should be done face-to-face, according to Relationships Australia.

Sue Yorston from Relationship Australia said breaking up online avoided the emotional fallout offline - or in the real world - but it was a cop-out.

"It takes all the emotion out of it," she said.

"It also means the person in the breaking up position is in control while the other person is vulnerable.

"If you are in a relationship with someone and aren't in a relationship anymore then surely you owe it to that person and respect them enough to tell them in person you're leaving that relationship."

She said many people also didn't realise they lost control of something once it was posted on the internet and the consequences could cost them privacy and jobs.

With that in mind here's how to avoid your relationship bust-up ending up on the internet.

1. Don't break up over text

Aside from lacking a personal face-to-face explanation, it's a little cowardly and it may end up doing more harm than good if a jilted lover later uses it against you. Texts can be forwarded onto other friends and then end up finding their way onto websites.

2. Avoid telling that not-so-special someone over Facebook

Changing your status from "in a relationship" to "single" or "it's complicated" not only lets your partner know it's off but shares your intimate details with all your Facebook friends who may or may not want to know. And if your privacy settings are not in place, everyone else on the internet is able to see it too.

3. Twitter is equally wrong

While the Twitter sphere may find spats and trivial details entertaining, it doesn't look good if your partner doesn't even know they're not your partner anymore. And it also doesn't look good when you have a very public spat over Twitter, like on-and-off couple Chris Brown and Rihanna who seemed happy to air all their dirty laundry via social media during a row last month.

4. Getting your best mate to do your dirty work

This is pretty low as far as break ups are concerned and is not only wrong, but just weird. If you have to do this, make sure you buy your mate more than a sixpack or cocktail for their trouble. Or just don't do it.

5. Email

While email may seem better than texting by providing a longer explanation, your words of reason may be forwarded onto a group of friends by a jilted lover. Unless you're prepared to deal with such an occurrence, it's probably better to meet in person.

6. Writing a letter

An American woman's break-up letter listing her reasons for dumping her boyfriend was posted to social media website Imgur last week and went viral. While some of her reasons were hilarious, her letter quickly became a web hit. But it's not just lovers who make headlines for calling it quits. Author Adele Parks was dumped by her best friend via letter, which her ex-friend had spent hours drafting.

7. Breaking up with a song

While no break up is easy, one Brooklyn couple took the unusual step of writing a song and putting it on YouTube to let their friends and family know there were no hard feelings and not to take sides. Musician Jonathan Mann penned the tune We've Got To Break Up which features vocals from ex-love Ivory King, who had been his girlfriend of five years.

8. Dumping your partner via billboard

If all else fails and you really can't face breaking up with someone in person, try not to do what this woman did. Laura, from England, not only dumped her boyfriend Dan via a giant billboard, she also told him she was leaving him on Valentine's Day for someone called Gary. Cutting.

Laura dumped her boyfriend via billboard: Twitter @jordanDWilson

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