How to Suggest Friends to Friends On Facebook

Suggest Friends On Facebook



I have periodically received 'invites' from people, the majority of whom I know just vaguely, to join them on Facebook. I've no desire to join Facebook, so simply disregard these. Yesterday, nonetheless, I received yet another invite, from someone who runs art courses I once enquired about. Underneath, Facebook notes three other people that have actually invited me in the past. And also, listed below that, there is a checklist of nine other people 'whom you might know'-- none of whom have ever before welcomed me, as well as three of whom I have had only really fundamental contact with-- eg a solitary query made to an archivist.

This actually stresses me-- exactly how does Facebook recognize that I have ever had any kind of contact with these people? Can Facebook gain access to their emails, see where they are all going to, and also cross-reference them with individuals that have gotten an invite from in other places? Or can they, having actually as soon as been given my email address, somehow get to my Sent messages, see where they are being sent to, as well as cross-reference them versus their existing Facebook subscription ??

This really frets me-- it simply appears such an invasion of my personal privacy, and also issues me that they may be able to access all kind of personal info as well as conversations.

Can you clarify how this can be taking place, and also recommend any way to block it, please??

I'm not privy to all the information of exactly how Facebook works. That being stated, I can predict regarding how Facebook (or any type of social media with similar abilities) might be making these suggestions.

No, Facebook is not looking at anyone's email (outside of messages sent on Facebook itself).

Facebook good friend recommendations as well as invitations to join Facebook-- whether emailed, or pointers when signed in to Facebook-- are absolutely nothing greater than what I 'd characterize as very enlightened guesses.

Tom and Prick, fulfill Harry

Here's one way I believe this happens:

  • Your pal "Tom" sends you a friend request, which you neglect. Nevertheless, Facebook remembers that he did so.

  • Another friend, "Penis", additionally sends you a friend demand, which you additionally overlook. Once again, Facebook remembers.

  • " Tom" and "Dick" have a buddy in common-- I'll call him "Harry". Both Tom and also Dick invited Harry to be pals, as well as Harry accepted.


So, below's what Facebook recognizes:

  • Tom asserts to understand you.

  • Penis claims to recognize you.

  • Tom and also Prick both understand Harry.


The informed hunch is: since Tom and Cock both assert to recognize you and also Harry, perhaps you understand Harry. Therefore, Harry ends up being an "other person you may recognize".

As well as you might. Or you may not.

Mutual passions

An additional circumstance plays out based out mutual friends, however mutual passions.

  • As before, your close friend "Tom" sends you a friend demand, which you ignore and also Facebook remembers.

  • " Penis" additionally sends you a close friend demand, which you likewise disregard and also Facebook remembers.

  • " Tom" and also "Dick" both occur to have actually "Liked" a web page on Corgis.


So, here's what Facebook understands:

  • Tom asserts to know you.

  • Prick declares to recognize you.

  • Tom and also Prick both like a Corgi page.


A various informed guess is that since Tom and also Penis both understand you, and also they share a taste of Corgis, you may likewise like Corgis. In fact, you might such as to be buddies with other people who also liked the Corgi page. So Facebook picks somebody at random who likewise suches as the Corgi web page and recommends that you could such as to be friends.

Obviously, if there's even more overlap-- more common interests Facebook learns about-- it might pick individuals who have one of the most alike with Tom as well as Cock, and also thus hopefully you.

If you are already on Facebook

This type of shared-connections-and-interests analysis goes on in substantially even more information if you already have a Facebook account. Facebook then can throw into the calculation the pages you suched as, the friends you approved, the messages you clicked on, suched as, and shared, and even your place and also various other information you've provided it.

The outcome is that they might recommend full unfamiliar people as feasible pals.

I find about 50% of Facebook's initial recommendations are people I do not recognize, and regarding half of the remainder are individuals I could understand however do not wish to connect with anyhow.

It's not something I fret about

Currently, as I said, I don't know specifically just how Facebook-- or any type of social network-- really functions. Actually, I 'd be willing to wager that the information are substantially more complicated. If nothing else, they are privy to numerous relationship connections, rate of interests, as well as actions to make these reasonings.

Yet I want to wager it's simply that: nothing more than Facebook examining all the data its participants have provided to infer that may recognize that-- also for individuals that are not yet participants.

I get that it might appear a little weird, however I do not believe it's as invasive as you are afraid. It's just using the social connections its participants supply to make a few well-read guesses.

Sadly, to answer your last inquiry, I'm not aware of a method to actually obstruct Facebook's emailed invitations, aside from to probably report them as spam.