Understanding the Logic Behind Facebook’s Friend Suggestions

How Does Facebook Suggest Friends

Facebook Suggest Friends feature is a fascinating and mysterious phenomenon that has piqued the interest of many users. In this topic, we’ll dive into the mechanics of how Facebook suggests friends and hopefully satisfy your curiosity. 

One of the most significant factors in Facebook’s friend suggestions is mutual friends. This approach is especially effective in suggesting people from your hometown or workplace.

Facebook also considers factors like shared interests, education, and work history. For example, if you attended the same university or worked at the same company, Facebook might suggest you add that person as a friend.

So, buckle up and let’s explore the world of Facebook’s friend suggestions together!

Facebook Suggest Friends – Working and Principles

Want to know how Facebook shows new people to you in your profile, so let’s begin. I will include all the points here and explain them to you.

Facebook friends suggestion

1. Mutual Friends

Mutual friends are a feature of Facebook where you are suggested with a profile you never know them. Or if you know them then you were not able to find them on Facebook. 

In mutual friends, you are shown in your Facebook profile those people you don’t know personally. 

For example, if you have a friend on Facebook whose name is David, and David has a friend called John. Then there are high chances your Facebook profile will be shown to John, and John’s profile will be shown to you.

2. Phone Number (Contact Number list)

Phone Number is also the major reason behind Facebook Suggestion Friends. Let me tell you how does it work?

If you create your account on Facebook for the very first time, then you have to enter your phone number. Once you enter the phone number, it means you are giving your phone number to Facebook and once you allow them it will sync your contact number. 

And whenever you share your contact number with an unknown person and if they save your number on their mobile phone and if they are also using Facebook from their phone number then Facebook thinks you know each other so you should connect on Facebook. 

Therefore Facebook started suggesting both of you on your profile based on contact details.

3. Location based

Location is also the main term for Facebook Suggest Friends. It works rarely but you can’t deny it when you are eager to know about Facebook Suggest Friends. 

Most of us use Facebook on mobile phones, right? So we carry our mobile wherever we go. And Facebook tracks our location by GPS.

So if you are going to a new area, spend time with new people so Facebook can track your all activities. Once Facebook knows you are spending time with someone, or you make a call to someone’s phone number.

Facebook gets to know all the details and will suggest friends according to that.

4. On Interest and Hobbies

Facebook also suggests people to your profile after seeing the interest of two or more people. Facebook watches everything carefully, what groups you joined, where are your comments, your likes and interests, and hobbies. 

When things match between two people Facebook starts suggesting them. 

Or if you have mentioned your school name, college name, or coaching to your Facebook profile and the same thing someone also mentioned in their profile. 

Then Facebook will think both of them may know each other therefore Facebook will start showing their profile on “People You May Know”.

5. Browsing History

Facebook Suggestions work on your browsing history also. For example, if you are trying to friend some of your friends with their name, a location so Facebook will show the results with the highest mutual friends on the list. 

Once you enter the location or any school name or any college name later you will be seen only by those people who are from that school, or college. 

6. Profile Visit

To be honest, there is no such confirmation but sometimes we don’t know who has visited our profile on Facebook as I said above Facebook tracks each and everything which we do on it. So sometimes Facebook started suggesting the people to your profile who have recently visited your profile. But in case we can’t guarantee you whether it’s working or not.

How to turn off friend suggestions on Facebook?

  • Open the Facebook App ( On Mobile or Computer)
  • Go to setting
  • Click on Notifications
  • Simply click on Turn Off the Notification which is unnecessary to you. 

How to turn off GPS location on Facebook?

  • Open the Facebook App
  • Visit the settings page
  • Click on the Privacy Tab
  • Click on the Location Server Tab and turn off Location Tracking by clicking it.

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Conclusion

Everyone sees the suggestion on their Facebook profile with a random person they have never met with. Still, Facebook keeps showing you. Behind this, there are several algorithms that work.

Facebook suggests people based on your interest, hobbies, Phone Number, Mutual friends, and many other terms. In this article, I shared with you the most common term which Facebook follows. 

Yes of course you can turn off this feature so Facebook stops suggesting you, unknown people.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone see if I’ve viewed their profile after they show up in my suggested friends?

No, Facebook does not notify someone if you’ve viewed their profile after they appear in your suggested friends list.

Why do I see suggested friends who I have no connection to?

Sometimes, Facebook’s algorithm may suggest people who you have no connection to. This could be because they have mutual friends with you, or because they share similar interests or location.

Can I suggest friends to someone else on Facebook?

Yes, you can suggest friends to someone else on Facebook. To do this, go to their profile and click on the “More” button. Then, select “Suggest Friends” and you can suggest people you think they may know.

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