Facebook does not directly notify you if someone is repeatedly viewing your profile on the platform. However, there are some signs you can look for that may indicate another user is checking you out more than usual on Facebook.
Ways to tell if someone is stalking you on Facebook
Here are some tips for spotting a Facebook profile stalker:
- They like or comment on your old posts or photos. If you notice someone going back and interacting with your old content from years ago, they may be doing a deep dive into your profile.
- They watch all your Facebook Stories. If you see the same person viewing every single Story you post, they may have you on notification so they know immediately when you post something new.
- You keep seeing them in your “People You May Know” suggestions. Facebook’s algorithm surfaces people you have overlapping connections with, so you may be seeing them pop up there because they’ve been looking at your profile and friends list.
- They know things about you that you never shared with them. If they reference details about your life that you haven’t posted about or told them directly, it’s possible they learned it from snooping through your old posts and info.
However, keep in mind that none of these are definitive signs that someone is checking you out. It could just be a coincidence that they are liking your old posts or watching all your Stories. Unless they admit it, there’s no way to know for sure if someone is repeatedly viewing your profile.
Can you see who views your Facebook profile?
Unlike other social media platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn, Facebook does not have a built-in tracker that shows you who views your profile. So there is no way to see exactly who is checking out your page unless they directly tell you.
Facebook previously had a feature called “Recent Visits” under Account Settings that showed a limited list of who recently visited your timeline. However, this was removed in 2011 due to privacy concerns.
There are third-party apps and browser extensions that claim they can show you who views your Facebook profile. However, most of these do not work as advertised and at worst could be scams or malware. Facebook has warned against using such apps.
The platform has become stricter over the years about protecting user privacy and anonymity. So any apps that claim to track profile viewers most likely do not have real data or access.
Why Facebook doesn’t allow profile tracking
Here are some reasons why Facebook does not allow users to see who views their profiles:
- Privacy – Facebook wants to give users control over who can see their information and activity on the platform. Allowing profile tracking would infringe on that privacy.
- Discourage stalking – Not showing profile views aims to prevent harassment or unwanted attention. If you could see who views you, it may encourage stalking behavior.
- Resource intensive – The infrastructure required to track and display profile visitors to billions of users would be extremely complex.
- Open to abuse – Profile viewing data could be exploited by bad actors for harassment or other malicious purposes.
- Competitive advantage – Facebook’s policy differs from some other platforms, which could be an advantage as users look for more privacy controls.
While some users would like to know who is viewing their profile, on the whole Facebook has prioritized user privacy and safety over offering this kind of transparency in its platform.
What profile information is visible to others on Facebook
Even though you can’t see exactly who views your Facebook profile, certain information is visible to other users by default based on your privacy settings:
| Profile Field | Visible to |
|---|---|
| Profile photo | Public |
| Cover photo | Public |
| Name | Public |
| Username | Public |
| Bio info | Public |
| Friends list | Friends only |
| Followed pages | Public |
| Current city | Friends only |
You can adjust exactly who can see certain profile details by updating your privacy settings. For example, you can limit your posts to Friends only, or block specific people from seeing your profile.
Ways to increase Facebook profile privacy
If you want to lock down your Facebook profile more from potential stalkers, here are some steps to take:
- Go to Settings > Privacy and review who can see your posts, info, contacts etc.
- Limit past posts visibility via the Activity Log privacy selector.
- Block specific people you don’t want accessing your profile.
- Turn off search engine indexing of your profile in Settings.
- Disable Facebook API access for third-party apps.
- Review Friends list and trim anyone you don’t want seeing your full profile.
- Use extra caution when posting personal info like phone numbers.
Conclusion
Facebook does not notify users when someone views their profile repeatedly. However, there are some warning signs like increased likes on old posts that may indicate you have a stalker. While Facebook doesn’t show exactly who looks at your profile, remember that some of your info is always public. Increase privacy settings if you are concerned about who can access your Facebook profile details.