removing so called "friends" from my facebook account

amandstu

I opened a Facebook account a while ago with the intention of perhaps finding a use for it .

I still have it although all I use it for is the occasional search I might perform on it (I have no "friends" or contacts on it -not willingly any way)
.
However I see that I have a cast of dozens of people I don't know that show up on my page and also when I check my email (totally unconnected to Facebook)

How can I delete all these people (in one go) -and stop others from "showing up"?

I should clarify that these may not be "friends" in the terrminology of the site but there is a long list of "Add people you know" that I am invited to "add friend" and it is these people (or people using their identity for all I know -Or is it Facebook itself?) that are sending me these emails with the content

Here are some people you may know on Facebook. Connect with friends, family, classmates and coworkers to see their updates, photos and more.

The subject line is "Do you know.........so and so and so +so and so and so etc etc ?"

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There's an unsubscribe button in the email

amandstu

thanks.So you think this is a genuine email from Facebook (yes I can see the unsubscribe button) ?

On what basis do you suppose they are sending me lists of strangers that I might want to add as a friend?

It doesn't seem to be geographical and I don't think I have had any activity at all on Facebook that would make Facebook assume that these were people I might want to contact.

My Facebook page is really just a blank page and all I have ever used it for is for searches.
Has Facebook tracked these searches and worked out my "interests" on that basis?

Is it not some kind of spam ,is it?
I am sure that these people have no idea I exist.Am I missing something?

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amandstu wrote: »

thanks.So you think this is a genuine email from Facebook (yes I can see the unsubscribe button) ?

On what basis do you suppose they are sending me lists of strangers that I might want to add as a friend?

It doesn't seem to be geographical and I don't think I have had any activity at all on Facebook that would make Facebook assume that these were people I might want to contact.

My Facebook page is really just a blank page and all I have ever used it for is for searches.
Has Facebook tracked these searches and worked out my "interests" on that basis?

Is it not some kind of spam ,is it?
I am sure that these people have no idea I exist.Am I missing something?

Facebook definitely send emails of this type. Whether your specific ones are from them, or a spammer mimicing them, I can't be sure, just check where it's actually linking to.

As to why, Facebook want you to have more friends. It's better for their business. They will suggest friends based on information you've given them. If you've given them very little, their suggestions won't be very accurate

srsly78

You signed up using an email. Those other people gave facebook permission to search their mail contacts, that's how it knows you may be connected. Your privacy has been compromised by other peoples lax security essentially.

amandstu

thanks both.
I am not as angry as I sounded - just I was confused (and a bit disappointed).

Might I assume that the people I have been invited to "add as a friend" have also got my (thankfully blank ) Facebook profile on their computer trying to get acceptance to their internet existence ?

Maybe I could ask them for a handout?:o:rolleyes: Or start my own political group?

If I unsubscribe via the emails will Facebook stop or will it just look for new matchups?

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amandstu wrote: »

thanks both.
I am not as angry as I sounded - just I was confused (and a bit disappointed).

Might I assume that the people I have been invited to "add as a friend" have also got my (thankfully blank ) Facebook profile on their computer trying to get acceptance to their internet existence ?

Not necessarily, but quite possible.

amandstu wrote: »

If I unsubscribe via the emails will Facebook stop or will it just look for new matchups?

It will continue to look. Is that an issue?

amandstu

I would rather it didn't .Is that the price I pay for being on Facebook in the first place?
Can I set my privacy levels to maximum to stop that happening?

Actually I am also (now) getting emails from twoo.com saying more or less the same thing but in Spanish.

Arom te ha añadido como contacto en Twoo y quiere conectar

Is that a clear indication that someone is spamming and maybe trying to infect the computer (I haven't clicked on any link)?