For those of you that are Facebook users you’re probably familiar with the “friend suggestions” that they give you on a regular basis. This is a great way to reconnect with people that you know based on your current friend list. I’ve often wondered what kind of algorithm is used to create these suggestions.
Looking over my suggestions this evening I came to the conclusion that the algorithm is pretty simple… if you’ve got 2 friends in common you’re going to get a suggestion. So this means that if you’re friend with say one of your buddies and his wife, eventually you’re going to get most of their friends as “suggestions”. I’m not sure why I’m so let down by this… suppose I was just looking for some super smart formula. Ho hum.
EDIT: Actually… after doing some more digging it’s not even TWO friends. After rolling through some additional suggestions I’m seeing people that not only do I not know, but we don’t even have ANY friends in common. Now I’m completely confused.
If someone has looked you up previously it can suggest you, also they are pushing for you to let them look at your email address book, I think it may also take those into account even if you don’t friend people in your address book.
For example, bill is in my address book but I don’t send him an invite, Tim is also in my address book but I don’t send him an invite. Bill and Tim are friends with Bob, it may suggest Bob to me since it knows that I know Tim and Bill.
Of course this is just speculation.
That’s actually more of what I had in mind. Thank for the info dude – even if you’re just speculating. Better than what I’d come up with 😉