Facebook PrivacyMafia Wars was a terrible, terrible thing.

by Sharlene King

What about Mafia Wars?> Mafia Wars is a game produced by Zynga. Lots of bored office workers across the world with access to internet without the restrictions of an IT department play it incessantly.

What does this mean?> You don’t play it. > You receive gift requests and invites to play it. > Your newsfeed is cluttered. > It annoys the hell out of you.

Can you block it?> Yes.

Can you be less annoying?> Yes.

1. Newsfeed Cleaning

In the upper right hand corner of each feed item is an option to “hide” a user. With application feed items, you also have the option to “hide” the application. In this case, we “hide” Mafia Wars.

2. Block Application

You’re still going to get invites and requests from people using the application. Luckily, Facebook allows you to block those, too.

Under the “Accept” and “Ignore” options on your request page, you can choose to “Block This Application”.

Are you anticipating requests from an application? Visit the application’s page and you “Block This Application” from there.

3.1 Ignore Mass Requests

Visit your requests’ page. Either type in the URL you see or click the “See All” in the upper right hand corner. (Many fun functions live in the corners of Facebook.)

Click “Ignore All” for the best action ever.

3.2 Ignore Mass Requests

“Ignore All” is a misnomer. It gives you the option to ignore just group invites, events, applications, or even friends.

4.1 Be Considerate

You know, I play Mafia Wars, but I try to be considerate. I’ve blocked all my normal friends from seeing my stupid Mafia shit before they have to go through all this.

First thing we have to do is create a friends list. Click “More” in the lower left-hand sidebar.

Then click “Create New List”.

4.2 Be Considerate

Name your list something like “Mafia Wars” or whatever and select your friends for this list.

4.3 Be Considerate

Find your “Application Settings” under “Settings” in the dashboard.

Choose the offensive application from the left-hand sidebar. In this case, we have chosen Mafia Wars.

4.4 Be Considerate

Select “Only Me” and uncheck “Everyone on Facebook”.

“Except These People” is a suppression option. Add your

and they’ll be the exception. They’ll be the only ones who get to see your Mafia Wars news items.