Help me understand why this should be a thing. I'm not being combative and genuinely curious what players are dealing with that makes them feel this way.

For me, this has not been an issue. I've unfriended only two accounts during my time on this game, and never heard from either of them ever again with one exception. I have my character config set so I do not see player names unless they are in my FC, in my party, or on my friend's list. If the players I have unfriended can still see me, I do not care.

The one exception I mentioned previously was from an old FC mate who went out of her way to hurt my feelings. I never blisted her and she messaged me around six months later and asked how I was doing. I was civil about it and wasn't rude to her. She did apologize to me and said she missed me, which brought some of the pain back. I thanked her for reaching out and that was it. There was no harassment issues or anything like that.

I think I only have 6-7 people on my friend's list. It's not a feature I heavily utilize, and much like RL there needs to be a natural and strong connection for me to request or add someone to the list. This is very rare for me. I am curious if some people are befriending anyone and everyone who sends a request as this is generally not a good idea. I don't need to hear you have or haven't, but be honest with yourself in regards to how you use the friend's list feature. I definitely agree that measures should be taken to protect players from harassment, but there are also things players can do to help ensure a more enjoyable experience while playing FFXIV.