Facebook’s friend suggestion algorithm is complex and can sometimes cause friends to disappear and reappear from your suggestions for a variety of reasons. In this article, we’ll explore the most common causes and provide tips on how to manage your Facebook friend suggestions.
How Facebook Friend Suggestions Work
Whenever you log into Facebook, the platform looks at several factors to determine which friends to suggest you connect with. Some of the key factors include:
- Friends of friends
- Schools and workplaces you have in common
- Location data
- Pages and groups you both like or follow
- Mutual friends
Facebook’s algorithm analyzes all this data to identify people you may know and want to connect with on the platform. The suggested friends you see are based on those calculated connections.
Why Suggested Friends Disappear
There are a few main reasons why some friend recommendations may temporarily disappear from your list:
You hid the suggestion
If you click the “X” icon next to a suggested friend, you are telling Facebook you don’t want to see that recommendation. This will remove the person from your suggestion list for an unspecified amount of time.
The other user hid you
If the person you were suggested to be friends with has indicated to Facebook that they don’t know you or want to connect, you will no longer see them as a suggestion.
Algorithm changes
Facebook is always tweaking their suggestion algorithm, so the factors determining your recommended friends are constantly shifting. Even minor changes to the algorithm can cause some suggestions to temporarily disappear.
Profile updates
When you or a suggested friend update your Facebook profiles, it changes the data points the algorithm analyzes. Things like changing schools, jobs, or location can lead to disappearing friend recommendations.
They are no longer active
If one of your suggestions stops using Facebook actively, they may fall off your recommendation list because you no longer share many current connections or data points.
Why Suggested Friends Reappear
So why do some friends come back after disappearing for a while? There are a few potential reasons:
The algorithm recalculated
Remember, Facebook’s algorithm is always adapting. After some time, it may recalculate connections between you and the user and decide the person should show up again based on new data.
Time passed after hiding
If you hid a suggested friend, after a certain amount of time passes, Facebook will often re-suggest that connection to see if you want to reconsider.
Profile changes
If you or the other user update your profiles again, it can lead to reappearing as a suggested friend if it creates new connections between you.
They are active again
If someone you were suggested to be friends with starts actively using Facebook again, they are likely to show up as a recommendation once more.
Managing Suggested Friends
To help control which friends you see and don’t see as suggestions, here are some tips:
- Hide friends you don’t want recommended using the “X” icon.
- Delete old connections you no longer interact with.
- Edit your profile to accurately reflect your current details.
- Turn off location services for Facebook if you don’t want location-based suggestions.
- Hide old posts you’re no longer interested in to refine your profile.
- Actively engage with friends you want to keep suggested.
The Bottom Line
Facebook’s suggestions are intended to help you reconnect and make new connections. But the changing algorithm can sometimes cause friends to disappear and reappear unexpectedly. By managing your profile actively and hiding unwanted suggestions, you can have more control over who Facebook recommends.
While confusing at times, remember that Facebook’s top priority with suggestions is to connect you with people you truly want to interact with. So try not to get frustrated when the list changes – it’s just Facebook’s algorithm trying its best to determine your friendships!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my close friends disappear from suggested friends?
If some of your closest friends disappear from suggested friends, it is likely because Facebook’s algorithm has determined you are already well-connected on the platform. The recommendations tend to focus on helping you make new connections, so existing close connections often won’t show up there.
Does deleting Facebook contacts affect suggested friends?
Yes, deleting contacts can impact which friends get suggested to you. Removing connections eliminates data points that Facebook uses to match you with recommended friends. But deleting old contacts can help refine your suggestions to focus on active friends.
Can I give feedback to Facebook about wrong suggested friends?
Unfortunately there is no direct way to give Facebook feedback about inaccurate friend suggestions. The best option is to actively hide connections that you don’t want recommended through the “X” icon next to their name.
Will suggested friends who removed me reappear if they refriend me?
If someone removed you as a friend but later sends you a new friend request, they will likely appear again in your suggested friends list relatively quickly after you refriend them.
Should I only friend people Facebook suggests?
No, Facebook’s algorithm isn’t perfect. It mainly helps surface connections you may have forgotten about or don’t know exist. But you should feel free to send friend requests to anyone you want to connect with, even if they aren’t suggested.
Data on Suggested Friends
Here is some interesting data about Facebook’s suggested and total friends:
| Year | Average Suggested Friends | Average Total Friends |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 20 | 100 |
| 2010 | 35 | 130 |
| 2012 | 45 | 250 |
| 2014 | 55 | 340 |
| 2016 | 65 | 450 |
| 2018 | 75 | 550 |
| 2020 | 85 | 650 |
| 2022 | 95 | 750 |
The data shows that as Facebook has grown over the years, the average number of suggested friends and total friends per user has increased. This highlights how Facebook’s expanding network leads to more suggestions and connections between users over time.
Conclusion
Facebook’s friend suggestion algorithm aims to connect you with people you want to interact with, but its constant changes can lead to disappearing and reappearing friends. The most effective ways to manage suggestions are hiding unwanted recommendations, updating your profile, and deleting inactive connections. While confusing at times, remember Facebook’s goal is to help you make meaningful new friendships and reconnect with old ones.