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I decided to download Instagram the other day. I wanted to be somewhat anonymous so I created a profile with a generic username, didn’t attach my email, and did

I decided to download Instagram the other day. I wanted to be somewhat anonymous so I created a profile with a generic username, didn’t attach my email, and didn’t allow it to download any contacts. When I signed in, the whole suggested friend list included people I knew. Family, old coworkers, ex-girlfriends, people I haven’t spoken to in 10+ years... The only explanation I can think of is that I had used my phone number to sign up, and they scanned all their users to see who has my phone number stored in their phones. I got super creeped out and deleted my account. Funnily enough, I had the exact same experience with Twitter last year too.

arkh 9y ago
> The only explanation I can think of is that I had used my phone number to sign up, and they scanned all their users to see who has my phone number stored in their phones. Simple. Those services ask permission to access the contact list of their user so they can "check if they already have them in their system". And while they're at it, they just keep everything. Permission included so they can store new contacts when you add new ones.
- perl4ever 9y ago
  I have denied that sort of request from LinkedIn many times, but due to the suggestions it's made, it's clear they scraped my email contacts at some point. Either I slipped up, or they found some oblique way.
- rmc 9y ago
  This is where EU's data protection law comes into play. When someone agreed to letting the app look at their phone book, the person isn't giving the app permission to store that forever. In theory, this sort of action should be illegal under EU law.
emehrkay 9y ago
Instagram’s suggestions are out of control. It recommended that I friend the receptionist at my old dentist’s office. I didn’t even have Instagram when I went to that dentist. I can’t even figure out how it would connect us. Even if she had my phone number in her phone and made the decision to share her contacts with Instagram, I didn’t share my number with the service. I used an email that she wouldn’t have. Maybe I browsed a website with Facebook tracking while in the office and it knew my location and made a guess, but I don’t believe that it recommended anyone else from that building. Strang
- donttrack 9y ago
  If you paid with your credit card at the dentist they probably connected you that way.
  - emehrkay 9y ago
    Great point! I did pay with a credit card quite a few times
- zodPod 9y ago
  This is freaky for sure but it could've also just been a coincidence. If she worked at a local dentist's office it could be that she is friends with a friend of yours or something like that.
  - emehrkay 9y ago
    That's the thing, this account has NO friends. I follow random people who draw things or dress well. But it still recommends my son's friends' parents or people that I went to high school with two states away or even the woman who cleaned my house two years ago. I bet FB's friend matching algorithm is something special
- luizfzs 9y ago
  They probably collect location from users and correlate time and place to infer relationships.

arkh 9y ago

> The only explanation I can think of is that I had used my phone number to sign up, and they scanned all their users to see who has my phone number stored in their phones. Simple. Those services ask permission to access the contact list of their user so they can "check if they already have them in their system". And while they're at it, they just keep everything. Permission included so they can store new contacts when you add new ones.

perl4ever 9y ago
I have denied that sort of request from LinkedIn many times, but due to the suggestions it's made, it's clear they scraped my email contacts at some point. Either I slipped up, or they found some oblique way.
rmc 9y ago
This is where EU's data protection law comes into play. When someone agreed to letting the app look at their phone book, the person isn't giving the app permission to store that forever. In theory, this sort of action should be illegal under EU law.

emehrkay 9y ago

Instagram’s suggestions are out of control. It recommended that I friend the receptionist at my old dentist’s office. I didn’t even have Instagram when I went to that dentist. I can’t even figure out how it would connect us. Even if she had my phone number in her phone and made the decision to share her contacts with Instagram, I didn’t share my number with the service. I used an email that she wouldn’t have. Maybe I browsed a website with Facebook tracking while in the office and it knew my location and made a guess, but I don’t believe that it recommended anyone else from that building. Strang

donttrack 9y ago
If you paid with your credit card at the dentist they probably connected you that way.
- emehrkay 9y ago
  Great point! I did pay with a credit card quite a few times
zodPod 9y ago
This is freaky for sure but it could've also just been a coincidence. If she worked at a local dentist's office it could be that she is friends with a friend of yours or something like that.
- emehrkay 9y ago
  That's the thing, this account has NO friends. I follow random people who draw things or dress well. But it still recommends my son's friends' parents or people that I went to high school with two states away or even the woman who cleaned my house two years ago. I bet FB's friend matching algorithm is something special
luizfzs 9y ago
They probably collect location from users and correlate time and place to infer relationships.