Facebook’s friend suggestion algorithm is complex and uses many different signals to recommend potential friends even when you don’t have any mutual friends in common. Some of the main ways Facebook suggests friends include looking at networks like your workplace, school, or city, analyzing your online and offline activity, using facial recognition technology, and considering other factors like interests, events, groups, and recent searches.
Looking at Your Networks
One of the most basic ways Facebook recommends friends is by looking at your networks and the networks of others. For example, if you list your workplace on your profile, Facebook will suggest co-workers from that company as potential friends. Even if you have no mutual friends with those co-workers, the fact you both work at the same place is a strong signal for Facebook to make a connection.
Similarly, if you studied at a certain university or college, Facebook will suggest fellow alumni from your school even if you weren’t friends while attending. The network of what city you live in is another signal Facebook uses – suggesting connections with people who live nearby or recently moved to your city.
| Network | Example |
|---|---|
| Workplace | Co-workers at your company |
| School | Classmates or alumni from your university |
| Location | People who live in your city or recently moved there |
Looking at networks you’re part of and have listed on your profile is one of the most basic ways Facebook can suggest potential friendships in the absence of mutual friends.
Analyzing Your Activity
In addition to your self-reported networks, Facebook also analyzes your activity on and off their platform to find patterns that can link you to potential friends. Some examples include:
Groups and Events
If you are part of the same Facebook groups or have RSVP’d to the same events as other people, Facebook will often suggest them even if you have no friends in common. The rationale is your shared interests and activities indicate you may know each other or would benefit from connecting.
Location History
If you have Location History enabled on Facebook, it can analyze the places you frequently visit in the physical world. If others often go to those same locations, Facebook may suggest them thinking you likely crossed paths in real life.
Posts and Likes
Facebook analyzes the content you post and engage with to understand your interests. It looks for patterns like Pages you both like or similar content you both comment on frequently. These shared interests can lead Facebook to suggest potential friends.
Searches and Browsing
Facebook pays attention to the searches you make and content you browse while logged into your account. If you look for a certain person or topic, you may then see a friend suggestion related to that search.
Facial Recognition
Facebook’s facial recognition technology allows it to analyze the faces in the photos and videos you upload. If the faces match profiles of people you aren’t already friends with, Facebook may suggest sending them a friend request. The idea is if you have pictured someone on your account, there’s a good chance you know them in real life.
Other Factors
Some other signals Facebook likely uses when making friend recommendations include:
Shared Contacts or Phone Numbers
If you opt to share your phone contacts, Facebook can match them against other users who have the same people in their contact lists. Having shared contacts is a strong sign of real life connection.
Profiles Viewed
Facebook logs the profiles you visit while logged into your account. Viewing someone’s profile could signify interest in connecting.
Educational or Professional Info
If you share info about where you went to high school or college, your work history, skills, or professional credentials, Facebook can match you with others who have similar educational/professional backgrounds.
Why Connecting Matters to Facebook
Facebook likely leverages sophisticated machine learning algorithms to analyze the thousands of signals related to you and others on the platform. But why does Facebook want to connect you to new people in the first place? There are a few key reasons:
Drive Engagement
When you have more friends on Facebook sending you updates and messaging you, you’re naturally more engaged with the platform. Suggesting new friends taps into the human desire for social connections and keeps you coming back.
Improve Ad Targeting
Facebook depends on advertising revenue. By analyzing your connections, activity, and interests, Facebook can better understand you and thus better target the ads shown to you. Connecting you to new people enhances this knowledge.
Provide Value
While Facebook certainly benefits from more friend connections, these suggestions also provide value to you as the user. Most people join Facebook to connect with family, friends, acquaintances, and others they know in real life. Friend suggestions facilitate those real-world connections.
Controlling Friend Suggestions
If you’re uncomfortable with Facebook’s friend suggestions or find them invasive, there are a few steps you can take:
Tighten Privacy Settings
Restrict the friend suggestion information Facebook can access by tightening who can see your posts, friends list, photos, networks, etc. Adjust these in your account’s Privacy Settings.
Limit Ad Targeting
Opt out of allowing Facebook to use your activity for ad targeting, which will reduce friend suggestions driven by advertising purposes. You can do this by visiting your Ad Preferences.
Turn Off Facial Recognition
Go to your Facebook Settings and turn off the “Face Recognition” feature so Facebook cannot leverage your facial data to recommend friends.
Delete Your Account
The nuclear option is deleting your Facebook account entirely, which will eliminate friend recommendations along with access to the platform. Keep in mind this is difficult to reverse.
Conclusion
While some find Facebook’s friend recommendations unsettling, the intent is to facilitate real-world connections based on signals indicating you likely know each other. Facebook leverages networks, activity patterns, interests, facial recognition, and other factors to suggest friends when you don’t have mutual friends in common. However, you have some control over friend suggestions through your account settings and privacy options. At the end of the day, Facebook’s friend recommendation algorithm aims to provide value by connecting you to more people you know in real life.