4 ms·

I haven't used my Facebook account in years, ever since they recommended I connected with a person I'd known for 20+ years but with whom I shared no connections

I haven't used my Facebook account in years, ever since they recommended I connected with a person I'd known for 20+ years but with whom I shared no connections or commonalities apart from our nationality. As I remember it, neither of us had listed schools, jobs or interests in our profiles. Maybe it was a coincidence but it made me very anxious so I left the platform.

agotterer 9y ago
It's possible that one of you connected Facebook to a service along the way that provided access to contact information like email or phone number and they used that to make the connection.
- decentralised 9y ago
  Could be, but by and large I've always been a late adopter of social media so apart from a hotmail / messenger account, I think FB was the only common service.
AndrewKemendo 9y ago
Maybe it was a coincidence but it made me very anxious so I left the platform. What were you anxious about happening as a result?
- dredmorbius 9y ago
  "In practice, the forced revelation of information makes individual privilege and power more important. When everyone has to play with their cards on the table, so to speak, then people who feel like they can be themselves without consequence do so freely -- these generally being people with support groups of like-minded people, and who are neither economically nor physically vulnerable. People who are more vulnerable to consequences use concealment as a method of protection: it makes it possible to speak freely about controversial subjects, or even about any subjects, without fear of harassment." -- Yonatan Zunger, former chief architect, Google+ https://plus.google.com/+YonatanZunger/posts/WegYVNkZQqq https://plus.google.com/+YonatanZunger/posts/WegYVNkZQqq There are further historical lines of reasoning. Hacker News and its editors don't care to see them discussed: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15105784 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15105784
graeme 9y ago
If someone looks at your facebook account they will suggest that person as a connection. Frequently as simple as that. Of course, in the background they likely knew you were more connected through mutual friends, contacts, etc

agotterer 9y ago

It's possible that one of you connected Facebook to a service along the way that provided access to contact information like email or phone number and they used that to make the connection.

decentralised 9y ago
Could be, but by and large I've always been a late adopter of social media so apart from a hotmail / messenger account, I think FB was the only common service.

AndrewKemendo 9y ago

Maybe it was a coincidence but it made me very anxious so I left the platform. What were you anxious about happening as a result?

dredmorbius 9y ago
"In practice, the forced revelation of information makes individual privilege and power more important. When everyone has to play with their cards on the table, so to speak, then people who feel like they can be themselves without consequence do so freely -- these generally being people with support groups of like-minded people, and who are neither economically nor physically vulnerable. People who are more vulnerable to consequences use concealment as a method of protection: it makes it possible to speak freely about controversial subjects, or even about any subjects, without fear of harassment." -- Yonatan Zunger, former chief architect, Google+ https://plus.google.com/+YonatanZunger/posts/WegYVNkZQqq https://plus.google.com/+YonatanZunger/posts/WegYVNkZQqq There are further historical lines of reasoning. Hacker News and its editors don't care to see them discussed: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15105784 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15105784

graeme 9y ago

If someone looks at your facebook account they will suggest that person as a connection. Frequently as simple as that. Of course, in the background they likely knew you were more connected through mutual friends, contacts, etc