Have you ever wondered how Facebook knew to suggest you add that dude you went on one date with four months ago? How it knew to suggest your ex’s new girlfriend even though you had no mutual friends?
You are not alone.
There are several sites where people have asked the question: “How does Facebook choose its suggested friends?”
The question was posed to members of a Reddit thread and their theoretical answers are making us regret every stalk we’ve ever made.
Congratulations! You’re being Facebook stalked!
“I think if people look you up on Facebook then it starts suggesting them to you,” one user said.
“I had a situation like this with a girl from college. She started appearing in my suggested friends. We have no mutual friends, don’t live near each other and I didn’t have anything about college on my Facebook but she still was showing up there.”
Uh oh.
You’ve got their number.
“If their number is in your phone, and they have their number linked to their account, they might show up as suggested friends. Has happened to me a few times.”
Metadata mates.