The “People You May Know” feature on Facebook has led some users to wonder if it’s showing them people who are essentially stalking them. There are a few potential explanations for why certain people show up in this section that don’t necessarily mean they are stalking you.
What is the “People You May Know” feature?
The “People You May Know” section shows Facebook users profiles of other users that they may be interested in connecting with. Facebook states that they generate these recommendations based on things like mutual friends, work and education information, networks you belong to and more. The goal is to connect you with people you may know but aren’t yet friends with on Facebook.
Why do certain people show up in this section?
There are a few main reasons someone may show up in your “People You May Know” section:
- You have mutual Facebook friends
- You’ve been in the same Facebook groups or networks
- You have overlapping education or work information
- The person has searched for you or viewed your profile
- The person has uploaded your contact information
- You’ve exchanged emails or phone numbers with the person
As you can see, some of these reasons are innocent enough – just having mutual friends or being part of the same network can cause someone to show up. However, some reasons like the person viewing your profile or uploading your contact info seem a little shadier.
Does this mean the people who show up are stalking you?
Not necessarily. There are reasonable explanations for most scenarios. Here are some examples:
They viewed your profile
Viewing someone’s profile does not automatically equate to stalking behavior. There are many harmless reasons someone may have visited your profile, such as:
- Curiosity about someone they just met socially
- Wanting to learn more about a new coworker or client
- Checking out the profile of their child’s friend or partner
- Clicked while browsing a friend’s friends list
Profile viewing alone should not be interpreted as stalking without additional context to indicate a pattern of obsessive behavior.
They have your contact information
There are also perfectly benign explanations for someone having your contact information, such as:
- Being in each other’s address books from work or school
- Meeting socially and exchanging numbers
- Needing to contact you for a project or group activity
- Being given your info by a mutual connection
Having your phone number or email does not intrinsically mean someone is stalking you. Many people exchange contact information for practical reasons without negative intent.
They seem slightly connected to you
Some people who show up in this section may be distant acquaintances, such as:
- A friend of a friend
- A past coworker or classmate
- Someone you met briefly once
- A neighbor or peripheral social connection
These type of loose connections can cause someone to show up without them intentionally seeking you out. The Facebook algorithm identifies these distant associations and assumes you might want to connect.
When could it be stalking behavior?
While most appearances in the “People You May Know” section have innocent explanations, there are some circumstances that may indicate stalking-like behavior:
- An ex-partner or someone you intentionally broke ties with continues viewing your profile obsessively
- Someone you don’t know constantly views your profile and asks mutual connections about you
- An acquaintance or stranger attempts to add all of your family members and friends
- Someone seems to monitor your activities and locations in a persistent manner
If someone who shows up gives you an uncomfortable or uneasy feeling, that’s a red flag something may be amiss. Stalking behavior tends to be characterized by one-sided obsession and a lack of boundaries.
How to handle people you want to avoid
If there are specific people you want to prevent viewing your Facebook profile, you can adjust your privacy settings by:
- Restricting profile access to friends only
- Blocking particular people from searching for you or viewing your profile
- Limiting the audience for posts so they are not public
- Reviewing your friend list and removing anyone who makes you uncomfortable
You can also report persistent harassing behavior to Facebook through their help pages. Documenting a pattern of unwanted contact or stalking may get the person’s account restricted.
Conclusion
The vast majority of people who show up in the “People You May Know” section on Facebook are not intentionally stalking you. They likely appeared there due to mutual connections, networks and algorithmic guesses by Facebook’s software.
However, if someone’s behavior crosses boundaries and makes you feel unsafe, take steps to block them and report them to Facebook. With the right privacy settings and reporting, you can help keep unsavory characters from accessing your profile.
At the end of the day, social media like Facebook gives the power to control your experience. Don’t hesitate to utilize tools that keep your connections positive and avoid those who make you uncomfortable. But rest assured, that random person appearing in your recommendations is probably not a stalker in most cases!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Facebook notify someone if you block them?
No, Facebook does not notify a user if you have blocked them. They will be unable to view your profile or search for you on Facebook once blocked. The blocking occurs silently without any notification.
Can you tell who views your Facebook profile?
Facebook does not have a direct way for users to see who views their profile. You can make educated guesses based on who shows up as “People You May Know,” but there is no feature that shows exactly who views your profile.
Is it creepy to look at someone’s Facebook profile?
Occasionally viewing someone’s public Facebook profile is generally not considered creepy by itself. However, consistently and obsessively checking someone’s profile when they have no relationship with you or have rejected contact can be seen as creepy behavior.
Why do I see strangers on Facebook People You May Know?
Strangers may appear in the People You May Know section for a few reasons: they went to the same school or workplace, joined the same groups, have mutual friends, or uploaded your contact information. They are not necessarily searching for you directly in most cases.
Can you see who looks at your Instagram without paying?
No, Instagram does not have a feature that allows you to see who views your Instagram profile without paying. Even with a paid account and follower tracking app, you can only see aggregate data, not info on individual profile visitors.
In Summary:
- The People You May Know feature shows you Facebook users you may want to connect with
- Recommendations are based on mutual friends, networks, contact info and more
- Viewing a profile or having someone’s contact info does not inherently mean stalking
- Blocking and privacy settings let you control who interacts with you
- True stalking tends to show obsessive behavior and unwanted persistence
- Most people who appear are not actually stalking you in a concerning way