Social Media Stalkers

I'm hoping some tech minded people here can let me know what's going on with my Facebook accounts. I now have 2 facebook accounts, my old one which I've had for years and rarely post to or use, its more of a back up address book for when I want to catch up with old friends. I also have a newly set up facebook (fb) account in order to post replies to online newspaper discussions; unfortunately the days of anonymously posting things seem to be over. I'm pretty concerned about privacy so I have used a different email address in both Facebook accounts, I also used the TOR browser to set my new fb account up so that it is in no way tied to my old fb account for which I use the Safari browser. I do however use the same laptop and also have the same mobile phone number tied to each fb account.

Now, the interesting thing is that when I first loaded my new fb account there was a list of suggested friends. There is 51 people on this list at the moment, 37 of whom I know and are added to my regular fb account, 11 people I don't know, and interestingly 3 people who I do know of but who I haven't added on my regular fb account. Also this list seems to update itself every so often.

Now I suspect that this is a chronological list of people who have searched or viewed my regular fb page. In which case it would provide an easy way to find out who is 'stalking' me on social media.

There are several reasons for this suspicion, most notably that I have recently moved house and people who I have only recently met are near the top of the list, also 4 of the people who I don't know are from the exact area which I have just moved to! I have given the new fb account no information about myself, it is a made up name, made up birthday, no location info, I have added no friends nor uploaded any photos. The only way I can possibly see hidden friend info moving across fb accounts would be through some hidden files/ cookies/ malware inside my computer, or possibly through my Internet Service Provider.

It would be good if some other people here with fb accounts could do the same thing - set up a new account in a different name, give it no info and see what friends come back to you. It would be good to use a different computer, mobile phone and ISP too. Of course don't forget that the NSA will be watching your every move!

Most suggested fb friends are friends of friends though there are also email settings that suggest friends via email addresses, for example all the people you emailed on AOL with fb accounts and settings at 'suggest friends' based on recent contacts etc. Especially if you are using facebook messenger which is something of a requirement for facebook messages.

a reply to: JonMel77

also 4 of the people who I don't know are from the exact area which I have just moved to!

I'll wait for someone else to address that part.

Just like when getting questioned by the cops all the info that you give online is just to know more about you. You do realize that anonymity can't be guaranteed on the internet, right?

My own impression of Facebook is it should have been named Mug Shots.

What better way to get people to volunteer personal info,what they think and who they know. Detectives solving crimes never had it so good.

It's the cell phone tied to account.

The people in the list you do not know are pulled from the friend you have in common even though you don't know them. So, if you visit some of your FB friend pages, you will probably see the unknowns in your friends' lists based on the common buddy and same location. Insidious

originally posted by: JonMel77
and also have the same mobile phone number tied to each fb account.

*facepalm*
Really? You use the same phone number for both accounts and you're wondering how they're linked?
Facebook stores everything. Because of that phone number, they know both accounts belong to you.

a reply to: trollz

BINGO!!!!

We have a winner!!!!

I don't know anything about Facebook.
It appears you set this up with links to your other page.

What I do know is it's pretty easy to connect the dots and do some snooping, investigating when people are so kind as to post every detail about themselves on Facebook. Even if they think they aren't.

why would you use a tor browser and then give facebook your phone number?

PMSL!!!! went to all that trouble of bouncing IP's & spoofing addy's only to link the old phone number

hey... i "liked" this

Ok thanks for the responses peeps, although I thought the face palm was a bit harsh whoever that was! Just so you know; I'm not trying to pull off any undercover operations by using my facebook account to infiltrate member state borders.

I'm also pretty sure facebook is not trying to track my every move by covertly using my mobile number to track my whereabouts.
I do however believe that people in the general population are looking up my facebook page (as they would since I am new to the area) and that this information is available in a separate fb account which I have set up.

My mobile is attached only to verify that I have a legitimate account which is necessary to activate the fb account. Although I don't doubt that this information is then used to collect as much personal details out of you as possible here are the facts as far as I can ascertain up to this point:

* I have moved to a remote area of Australia in which I have added no new contacts to my facebook accounts.
* I admit I have used the facebook mobile app to access my regular (old) fb page from which location data could have been transmitted through to fb servers.

Insinuated scenarios:

* Fb has managed to 'connect the dots' and recommended friends for my new (unassociated, apart from my mobile verification) fb account - based on my whereabouts whilst using this old fb account.

Note: Some of these suggested 'new' friends happened to actually work at my new work location, although I repeat I never added any new fb contacts from my new location to any fb accounts. They do however have my mobile number.

The only way i can conceive of information passing between the two fb accounts would be: information privately held within my computer, information privately held within my phone or information covertly sent to fb to track my whereabouts via my mobile phone.

If anyone out there with facebook accounts could open a new fb account in 'isolated conditions' and report back I would be grateful (for some undisclosed period of time), if anything just to see how far social media infiltration spreads through our society. Thanks,