Finally, you got her Facebook name, and you cannot wait to look it up. As you type, you remember Facebook’s Suggestions, and then you start second-guessing yourself. If I search, will I show up as a suggested friend? You then step out of the world’s most popular social media platform, and you come here looking for answers.
If you look up someone’s profile on FB, it will be hard for you to show up. However, it is possible, especially if you and the person you are searching for have mutual friends. If Facebook finds something else common between you and the other person, it won’t be long before you show up as a suggestion.
In this article, we will look at the People You May Know section in depth. Then, you will learn the criteria Facebook uses to display those suggestions and if your stalking is showing at the other end. So, stick around until the end to know that and much more.
Does Facebook Suggest Friends Who Look At Your Profile?
From their official help page, Facebook will not suggest friends who look at your profile. They say that search history doesn’t contribute to people you may know, so it is best to believe that it works the other way. People who keep visiting your profile will only appear if they meet Facebook’s set criteria, which you will see in the next section.
TechBiva 101: To know if Facebook uses your information to show suggestions in the People you may know section, read here.
What Are Facebook Suggestions Based On (How FB Determines Friend Suggestions)?
The FB accounts you see under People You May Know are not random selections. Instead, Facebook specifically tailors them for you based on these things:
1. Mutual Friends
Look at this snapshot below:
It was captured from the People You May Know section. As you can see, those accounts belong to friends of your friends. From Facebook’s help section, you will learn that mutual friends are the most common way FB uses to bring you suggestions.
Facebook is a space for connecting, and you would understand why they bring up friends of friends. Many relationships outside of social media grow because of sharing friends.
For example, when you are invited to a party, the host will introduce you as a friend to other friends. They will accept you quickly because of the trust they have in the host. In the end, you will have more friends courtesy of your host.
2. Your Profile Information (Bio Details)
Facebook collects a lot of personal info, which includes:
1. The city/cities you’ve lived in
2. Your current location
3. The schools you went to
4. The place you work, et cetera
With that info, Facebook’s algorithm pairs people together, and that way, they appear on each other’s suggestions. If you log in to your account now and check that section, you will capture a few people you have shared some spaces with. It could be work or school, but you will definitely recognize them
3. Your Facebook Activity
On FB, activities include liking and commenting, tagging and being tagged, and even reacting to some posts. For example, if you are not friends with someone but like their post, Facebook’s algorithm will take your reaction as a marker of interest. Soon enough, you will see them appearing on the People You May Know section.
4. Your Contact List
If Facebook has access to your contacts, it will frequently sweep up to see if any of those phone numbers are on the platform. It is natural that when we get someone’s number, we have a connection with them, however slight.
TechBiva 101: If someone has your number on their phone, you may appear on their suggestions.
5. Someone Who Uploads To Facebook Or Messenger
This ties to the previous reason because it involves your contact list. If someone joins Facebook for the first time, all his contacts will appear as friend suggestions. If you are there, Facebook will point both of you to each other.
TechBiva 101: Sometimes, Facebook will present suggestions of people you do not share friends, are not in your contact, or those whose content you haven’t engaged with. That means that Facebook uses other factors, so do not be surprised when you can’t recognize someone in the People You May Know section.
How Can You See If Someone Who Is Not Your Friend On Facebook Is Looking At Your Profile?
No bulletproof method can help you to see a stalker who is not on your list of friends. Facebook does not reveal impressions (views), so you cannot investigate from your end. However, you can use these tips:
1. Check Out Anyone Who Likes Your Post
If you receive hundreds or thousands of likes, there is a chance that a small number of them don’t come from people who are not your friends. Stalkers tend to keep a low profile, so they will probably open new accounts and follow you up.
If you notice a stranger account giving you lots of social media attention, mark it as a stalker account.
2. Create Multiple Posts in a Short Period
If you increase your social media contribution, you can separate the wheat from the chaff. And if all goes well, you will see some people liking or commenting more than others.
TechBivan 101: If they are not your friends but keep looking at your profile, you have nabbed your stalkers down.
How Do You Get On Someone’s Suggested Friends List?
You cannot get on someone’s suggested friends without Facebook putting a hand on it. However, you can influence FB’s actions. To get on the People You May Know section of your friends, do the following:
1. Like the posts of the target friend
2. Comment and engage with them in the form of replies
3. Share their content
4. Spend time scrolling down their profiles
Soon, Facebook will pick out your activity. If the other person is also interested in your profile, it will not be long before you appear in their suggestions.
How Do I Not Appear On Someone’s Suggestions
There is no need to fret if you are worried that you may appear on someone’s People You May Know section. Although you are checking their profile, you also want to remain anonymous and for your activity to remain private.
To prevent your name from popping up, the best way is by removing yourself from Facebook’s public engine. Here are the steps:
1. Log in to your Facebook account.
2. Click the Account option, which you will find in the upper-right corner.
3. From the drop-down menu that shows, click Privacy Settings.
4. In the category, find How You Connect and then click Edit Settings.
5. Look for Control Your Default Privacy, then click Custom. There, choose Friends to undo the default value (Friends of Friends).
6. Under the Who Can Look Up Your Profile By Name or Contact Info? category, choose Friends, then click Done.
Finish off by removing yourself from the public search engines using these steps:
7. On the same Privacy and Settings page, find Apps and Websites. Under that heading, click Edit Settings.
8. Go down to Public Search and uncheck the boxes labeled Enable Public Search.
Who Shows Up In People You May Know?
Mostly, the people who show up in suggestions are mutual friends and those you went to school with. Also, people whom you share cities or locations will also appear, and even those who react to your post but are not your friends.
Can I Look At Someone’s Facebook Profile Without Them Knowing 2021?
Yes.
You will only need to search their name and scroll down their profile. Facebook won’t tell them you were. But, if you like or comment on their posts, they’ll know, and you will appear on their radar.
Can You Find Someone On Facebook Without Signing Up?
No.
Facebook’s policy is that anyone who engages on the platform must have an account. So actually, you cannot get past the home page without signing in or opening an account.
Can Someone Tell If You Look At Their Pictures?
No.
Going through someone’s photos on Facebook is possible, and you can do it freely. You just need to be careful not to engage with any of those pictures. For example, if you like or comment below the images, the person will know, and your cover will be blown.
Conclusion
It is hard (but not impossible) for you to appear as a suggestion for someone else on Facebook. If you have mutual friends, you are most likely to show up on their timeline. However, if you do not want to appear, consider using a pseudo account.
Facebook will only show your profile if you and the other person have shared interests. They include cities visited, schools attended, and even the places worked. So, don’t be surprised if your new workmate suddenly pops up.
In a nutshell, you can’t control what Facebook displays on their People You May Know Section. However, as you keep engaging on the platform, FB will bring your closer to both friends and strangers.
And that’s pretty much it!
If you enjoyed the read, share the link and bring more FB fans in the know. At TechBiva, we appreciate feedback, so pour it all out in the comment section below. As you leave, check out these related and exciting topics:
1. How To View Archived Messages On Facebook Messenger Android
2. How To Unblock Your Website From Facebook |Step By Step Guide
3. 10 Coolest Thing Happened To Me After Reducing My Facebook Usages
4. Is The FBI Watching Me Through My Computer Camera?
Thanks for reaching this far, and we will see you at the next one.