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I deleted my account a year ago but just signed up with a new account so I could test results for contract projects. From account deletion, to clearing out my

I deleted my account a year ago but just signed up with a new account so I could test results for contract projects. From account deletion, to clearing out my OS X and installing Lion on a new SSD, and using a fresh email for the new signup a year later, I still have my same friends showing up. I wasn't trying to lose track of these friends, I'm just surprised that FB was able to figure that out with what I assumed was new information. How does that even work? Maybe my old Time Machine brought long-living cookies back for Chrome? It was just disconcerting.

cglee 14y ago
I'm guessing it's from the mobile app.
- mikescar 14y ago
  If that's the case, then the Facebook app I can't delete from my Verizon Incredible has full access to read my Mail configurations. Edit: (and then correlate the account I used to use for Facebook to my newer LLC FB account I use for testing)
  - pearkes 14y ago
    Did you use it before when you were logged into Facebook? Your phone has a unique ID that it could (theoretically) read and store at the time of login on mobile. Logging in with your new account could tie the two together?
    - mikescar 14y ago
      No, I did not. I deleted my facebook account a year ago, and this was a new email on a domain I created a month ago. Edit: must have been my mobile number, though I can't remember if I went through the confirmation/security step for this one.
Zenst 14y ago
Maybe one of your friends innocently grassed you up regarding that new email address. Your name is the same, DOB the same. Would be a fair guess that not many circles of friends have two with the same name and DOB, so the sugestions would be easily done upon that basis perhaps. Ask facebook as it is somewhat concerning though I'd imagine.
ChrisNorstrom 14y ago
It's the email addresses. When you friends share their email contact list with Facebook, Facebook the list to find connections between people and suggest friends you might know. It's VERY intrusive especially when you have 2 online identities, a profession one and a personal one and Facebook keeps trying to tie them together with complete disregard for your privacy. ===== HOW IT WORKS ===== If someone has a Facebook account and shares their gmail or yahoo contacts with Facebook. Facebook will crawl through the email contact info and see if any of its already registered Facebook members' emails match the contact list. It will then put those matches up on the "People you may know" sidebar and suggest that you friend them. That's what happened to me. I had 2 identities, one for family and relatives and one for my personal life & friends (goofing around, joking with friends). Facebook revealed my other identity to all my family and relatives. Some of them added me to their friends list and asked about my other name. I worked so hard to keep them separate but made the mistake with the emails. As soon as I changed the email the suggested friends recommendations stopped. That. Really. Pissed. Me. Off. I will never forget that, nor will I ever forgive Facebook for it. It was creepy and disrespectful.
- FuzzyDunlop 14y ago
  I think they use IP addresses too. An old colleague once created a fake account to test an app, using totally fake data. Next time I signed up he appeared in the sidebar.
  - thornofmight 14y ago
    Does facebook have any documentation anywhere listing exactly how they're making these connections?
- AlexMuir 14y ago
  Also your mobile phone number - http://www.alexmuir.com/2011/10/facebook-reveals-who-has-your-number-in-their-phone/ http://www.alexmuir.com/2011/10/facebook-reveals-who-has-you...

cglee 14y ago

I'm guessing it's from the mobile app.

mikescar 14y ago
If that's the case, then the Facebook app I can't delete from my Verizon Incredible has full access to read my Mail configurations. Edit: (and then correlate the account I used to use for Facebook to my newer LLC FB account I use for testing)
- pearkes 14y ago
  Did you use it before when you were logged into Facebook? Your phone has a unique ID that it could (theoretically) read and store at the time of login on mobile. Logging in with your new account could tie the two together?
  - mikescar 14y ago
    No, I did not. I deleted my facebook account a year ago, and this was a new email on a domain I created a month ago. Edit: must have been my mobile number, though I can't remember if I went through the confirmation/security step for this one.

Zenst 14y ago

Maybe one of your friends innocently grassed you up regarding that new email address. Your name is the same, DOB the same. Would be a fair guess that not many circles of friends have two with the same name and DOB, so the sugestions would be easily done upon that basis perhaps. Ask facebook as it is somewhat concerning though I'd imagine.

ChrisNorstrom 14y ago

It's the email addresses. When you friends share their email contact list with Facebook, Facebook the list to find connections between people and suggest friends you might know. It's VERY intrusive especially when you have 2 online identities, a profession one and a personal one and Facebook keeps trying to tie them together with complete disregard for your privacy. ===== HOW IT WORKS ===== If someone has a Facebook account and shares their gmail or yahoo contacts with Facebook. Facebook will crawl through the email contact info and see if any of its already registered Facebook members' emails match the contact list. It will then put those matches up on the "People you may know" sidebar and suggest that you friend them. That's what happened to me. I had 2 identities, one for family and relatives and one for my personal life & friends (goofing around, joking with friends). Facebook revealed my other identity to all my family and relatives. Some of them added me to their friends list and asked about my other name. I worked so hard to keep them separate but made the mistake with the emails. As soon as I changed the email the suggested friends recommendations stopped. That. Really. Pissed. Me. Off. I will never forget that, nor will I ever forgive Facebook for it. It was creepy and disrespectful.

FuzzyDunlop 14y ago
I think they use IP addresses too. An old colleague once created a fake account to test an app, using totally fake data. Next time I signed up he appeared in the sidebar.
- thornofmight 14y ago
  Does facebook have any documentation anywhere listing exactly how they're making these connections?
AlexMuir 14y ago
Also your mobile phone number - http://www.alexmuir.com/2011/10/facebook-reveals-who-has-your-number-in-their-phone/ http://www.alexmuir.com/2011/10/facebook-reveals-who-has-you...