What is facebook suggested friends stalking?

Facebook's "Suggested Friends" feature, while intended to help users connect with people they might know, can inadvertently be used for a form of passive "stalking" or gathering information about others. Here's how this dynamic can play out:

• Data Aggregation and Inference: Facebook's algorithms analyze a vast amount of data, including mutual friends, shared groups, schools, workplaces, locations, and even phone contacts. This data is then used to infer potential connections. While not inherently malicious, the algorithm's suggestions can expose connections that users might prefer to keep private.

• Revealing Relationships: Seeing someone suggested as a friend can confirm suspicions or reveal previously unknown relationships. For instance, if someone consistently appears as a suggested friend to a person's partner, based on shared location data or overlapping social circles, it could imply a connection that wasn't explicitly disclosed. This isn't necessarily "stalking" by Facebook, but the feature can facilitate that behavior by revealing connections.

• Limited Information, Possible Misinterpretations: The algorithmic nature of suggestions means connections can be based on incomplete or outdated information. Someone appearing as a suggested friend might not actually be someone the user is currently in contact with, or the reason for the suggestion might be innocuous. Over-interpreting these suggestions can lead to false conclusions.

• Privacy Considerations: The use of personal data to generate suggested friends raises privacy concerns. Users might be unaware of the extent to which their data is being used and the conclusions being drawn about their social connections. This concern has been a subject of debate and policy changes for Facebook over the years.

• Using the Feature for Intentional Information Gathering: While Facebook states that knowing or having met someone is among the various signals used to generate suggestions, people may use the feature to intentionally search for potential connections in order to glean information. This can be a form of "passive stalking", as it doesn't involve direct contact or hacking, but rather using Facebook's existing features to gain insights into someone's social circle and potentially their activities.

Here are some important subjects covered above as links:

• Suggested Friends
• Privacy Considerations
• Algorithms