With over 2 billion monthly active users, Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms today. People use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, share life updates, photos, and more. However, not all activity on Facebook is positive. Some users may engage in “Facebook stalking” which involves repeatedly viewing someone’s profile or photos without their knowledge or consent.
Facebook stalking can make people feel uncomfortable or unsafe. As a Facebook user, you may wonder if someone is stalking your profile or photos. Here are some signs that could indicate a Facebook stalker and tips on how to deal with it.
Signs Someone is Stalking Your Facebook
It can be tricky to identify if someone is stalking your Facebook, but there are some potential red flags:
- They view your photos or posts immediately after you share them, especially if this happens consistently.
- They like or comment on your old posts or photos in bulk.
- They know details about your life that you did not intentionally share with them.
- You notice their profile viewing yours multiple times per day or week.
- You receive friend requests from accounts you don’t know that appear to be fake profiles.
- They message you excessively, especially if you don’t respond.
- You notice them appearing in groups or events you frequent on Facebook.
- You bump into them in real life locations without having made plans to meet up.
Some of these signs alone don’t necessarily mean you have a stalker, but multiple occurring together could indicate a potential issue. Trust your instincts if someone’s Facebook activity feels invasive or inappropriate to you.
How to See Who Views Your Facebook Profile
Facebook does not have a direct way to see who views your profile, but there are some methods that can help identify potential stalkers:
Check Your Visitor Posts
Facebook’s Visitor Posts feature shows when someone writes a post on your Timeline. This could reveal people frequently checking your profile. To use it:
- Go to your profile page
- Click on “More” next to the number of posts
- Select “Visitor Posts” to see who has posted on your Timeline
Use Profile Viewer Tools
Third party apps and browser extensions like Profile Viewer and Social Profile Viewer track profile visits. They can show you who viewed your profile, when, and how often. However, they won’t be 100% accurate.
Check Login Notifications
Facebook sends notifications when your account is logged into from a new device. Frequent unknown logins could indicate a stalker using your account.
Monitor Tagged Photos
Check notifications for being tagged in photos you’re not actually in. A stalker may tag you to view your profile or draw attention from you.
Examine Friend Requests
Fake friend requests could be a stalker trying to connect with you. Look for accounts with no posts or photos as potential red flags.
Use Social Search Engines
Sites like Spokeo, PeekYou, and TruthFinder can search public Facebook profiles. Input your name to see if your profile appears connected to any suspicious accounts.
How to Limit Profile Views on Facebook
To gain more control over who can view your Facebook profile, consider these settings:
Restrict Old Posts
Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Privacy Settings and under “Who can see your future posts?” choose Friends or a custom group instead of Public.
Limit Photo and Album Views
For individual photos or albums, click the audience selector in the lower right and customize who can view it.
Enable Profile View Confirmation
Under Settings & Privacy > Settings > Face Recognition, require confirmation from users not tagged as friends in your photos.
Block Specific Users
By blocking a user, they will no longer be able to view your profile or search for you on Facebook.
Increase Privacy Settings
Set your preferred privacy levels for posts, friends list, and more under Settings & Privacy > Settings > Privacy Settings.
Deactivate Your Account
Deactivating your account hides your profile and prevents all search ability. You can reactive it later if desired.
What to Do If You Have a Facebook Stalker
Here are some tips if you confirm someone is stalking you on Facebook:
- Unfriend or block the person to prevent further contact.
- Report them to Facebook using the Report link near their name/profile photo.
- Enhance your privacy settings to limit profile views.
- Avoid accepting friend requests from people you do not know.
- Be cautious about sharing personal details like your address publicly.
- Alert close friends and family about the issue and that they should not engage with or respond to this person.
- Save evidence like screenshots in case you need to report them further.
- Consider contacting local law enforcement if you feel physically threatened.
Facebook stalking can be a scary experience. Trust your instincts if you feel like someone’s interest in you is inappropriate or makes you uncomfortable. Taking action to boost privacy, report user behavior, and involve authorities as needed can help address the problem.
Conclusion
Identifying Facebook stalkers and limiting unwanted attention on your profile can be challenging. However, being aware of potential red flags like excessive profile viewing or questionable friend requests can clue you in. Utilizing privacy settings, blocking capabilities, and reporting tools can help deter stalkers. Notify friends, family and authorities if you have safety concerns. With caution and proactive measures, you can hopefully prevent and address unwanted Facebook stalking.
References
1. Facebook Stalking – Patterson, V. (2020, December 22). Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-narcissism-epidemic/202012/facebook-stalking
2. Is Someone Stalking You on Facebook? Here’s What You Can Do – Levin, S. (2022, August 25). Reader’s Digest. https://www.rd.com/article/is-someone-stalking-you-on-facebook/
3. What is Facebook Stalking and Is It Illegal? – Gershman, J. (2022, June 28). AddictiveTips. https://www.addictivetips.com/web/what-is-facebook-stalking/
4. Facebook Stalking: Defined, Explained, and Tips – Lin, J. (2021, November 11). TechSafety. https://www.techsafety.org/facebook-stalking/
5. Is Your Partner Facebook Stalking You? Here’s How to Tell – Chertoff, D. (n.d.). Best Life. https://bestlifeonline.com/facebook-stalking-signs/
6. How to know if Someone is Stalking You on Facebook – Gu, J. (2022, September 6). TechUntold. https://www.techuntold.com/how-to-know-if-someone-is-stalking-you-on-facebook/