According to a new survey of 1,500 singles conducted by dating app Plenty of Fish, one-third of singles have had a friendship end because someone dated their ex.
When it comes to actually following the "rules," 77% of singles said they always or often followed them, 18% said they sometimes followed them, and only 5% of singles said they rarely or never followed them.
However, if your friend gives you their blessing, that's a different story. Seventy-seven percent of those surveyed said they'd seek approval first if they wanted to date a friend or family member's ex. So, odds are good that you'll get a chance to speak up before it happens.
It also turns out that adherence to the rules varies by generation.
Percentage by Generation Against Dating a Friend's Ex:
• 78% of baby boomers (born between 1944–1964)
• 73% of Gen X (born between 1965–1979)
• 68% of Gen Y aka millennials (born between (1980–1994)
• 66% of Gen Z (born between 1995–2000)
Perhaps unsurprisingly, women also seem to generally honor the "rules" more than men. Sixty-three percent of women strongly agree that you should never hook up with a friend's ex, whereas only 33% of men had the same opinion. When it comes to dating a friend's ex, 65% of women surveyed thought that was a big no-no; only 33% of men said the same.