The facebook numbers...WHAT DO THEY MEAN?! WHAT DO THEY MEAN
- Thread starter sn00zer
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Quite a few people seem to indicate that it isn't chat based.
Maybe it's based on how much you have in common?
Suspected? It's not a secret. Facebook talks about it and it's well known to exist. Various factors are involved, but who you look at, talk to, like things of, etc. is definitely the most important factor. There's also almost certainly a random chance element to prevent the various things that use it from getting too stale and to allow you a chance to alter the list through further interaction.
The exact algorithm is a secret, but its existence is not.
Zeus Molecules
illegal immigrants are stealing our air
sigh its all my male friends.... I need to meet more girls.
Very very interesting list. If you remember well which people you have chatted/viewed/liked/etc recently it shouldn't be too difficult to find out who has been showing unexpected interest in your own profile.
It seems I've found one stalker (very cute girl who I met only a month ago, haven't ever chatted on fb, liked maybe 2 posts of hers and viewed her profile only couple times) who was ranked #4, way higher than others that I have been interacting with or stalking myself.
Very interesting but I'll take it with grain of salt for now
It seems I've found one stalker (very cute girl who I met only a month ago, haven't ever chatted on fb, liked maybe 2 posts of hers and viewed her profile only couple times) who was ranked #4, way higher than others that I have been interacting with or stalking myself.
Very interesting but I'll take it with grain of salt for now
Mine is my fiancee and then my brother then a couple buddies including one who rarely if ever uses Facebook. In the words of Inigo Montoya, "I do not think it means what you think it means." I am sure it's a more advanced algorithm that also incorporates your posts at other people's walls, etc.
sixteen-bit
Member
You mean interact with more girls on facebook.
HappyBivouac
Member
I have people I have never interacted directly with on facebook (aside from becoming friends) in my top 10.
However, it does match up with the people who show up on my chat list when I set chat to offline.
And my first and second people just mysteriously switched places for no apparent reason.
However, it does match up with the people who show up on my chat list when I set chat to offline.
And my first and second people just mysteriously switched places for no apparent reason.
Yeah, I don't use the chat feature at all, I have it turned off so I am constantly offline.
My list makes sense except for #2, who friended me and I went to his page once to see who he even was (as I had initially forgotten when I got his friend request). Other than that, I've had no contact with him other than seeing his statuses show up on my feed.
Not sure why whatever algorithm would think to rank him higher than some of my other friends who I interact with on facebook daily.
Hell, I would think random 'friends' who I only friended to play facebook games with would rank higher, but none of them rank at all. So facebook is somehow able to weed them out.
Perspicacity
Banned
I wanted to have sex with 6 out of the top 10, WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Vigilant Walrus
Member
I could imagine. If they really did make it visible for you to see who stalked your profile the most. My god.
It would not be good. Facebook is used so much for spying on ex-girlfriends/boyfriends.
It would not be good. Facebook is used so much for spying on ex-girlfriends/boyfriends.
cutmeamango
Banned
Top 5 is pretty much the most active chats, I don't access other people's profiles so that makes sense.
EDIT: 7, 8 and 10 don't make much sense being in the top 10, someone hold me.
EDIT: 7, 8 and 10 don't make much sense being in the top 10, someone hold me.
Neuromancer
Member
Mine's a girl from work =o
Not sure how much faith I have in this being meaningful in any way.
Not sure how much faith I have in this being meaningful in any way.
WolfForager
Member
Not sure about this at all. In my top 15 or so were a girl who I was seeing for a few months earlier this year, lots of FB interaction, and then directly after her a girl who I met in September who I've had little to no FB interaction with.
No.1 is one of my best mates and we post random ridiculous stuff on each others walls every day and use FB chat alot, so that much seems legit!
No.1 is one of my best mates and we post random ridiculous stuff on each others walls every day and use FB chat alot, so that much seems legit!
AlucarD.eq
Member
Something that is making sense is the sum up off all the chat interaction
Mine reads like the lyrics of an old Tribe Called Quest song:"Buddy buddy buddy all up in your face." While Phife was probably complaining about some annoying fan trying to pass his demo tape, my list reads like a mix of friends I interact most or with whom I have a strong connection. No unexpected girl that would have a super secret crush on me. Makes sense.
PflargBlarg
Member
Guys, when we're referring to how it's used for chat we don't mean that it's based on how often you chat with people. It's just the list in the chat box above the 'More Friends' line separator is determined by this javascript list.
I've done this dozens of times now just to confirm it. I just looked at the list in the source and was able to predict every single person that would show up in order as I expanded that chat box list to show more people.
It /will/ switch around though sometimes when people go offline as they'll get replaced by someone who happens to be online.
It's impossible to determine what the actual algorithm is just by looking at who's in the list. Obviously you can make some sort of guesses, but you might as well be pulling an algorithm out of your ass.
I've done this dozens of times now just to confirm it. I just looked at the list in the source and was able to predict every single person that would show up in order as I expanded that chat box list to show more people.
It /will/ switch around though sometimes when people go offline as they'll get replaced by someone who happens to be online.
It's impossible to determine what the actual algorithm is just by looking at who's in the list. Obviously you can make some sort of guesses, but you might as well be pulling an algorithm out of your ass.
Yeah, you're right about it not being a secret. It was late when I wrote that post, so my wording was a little strange.
Biff
Member
It has to be based on direct contact activity - be that based on messages, wall posts or chat I guess (I don't use it).
One of the guys in my top 5 is someone who's email I couldn't find. Found the guy on FB and messaged him without adding him as a friend.
He replied back with the info I needed, and that's it. Added each other as friends in case we need to make contact again. Haven't messaged him or clicked his profile since then. Happened about a month ago.
One of the guys in my top 5 is someone who's email I couldn't find. Found the guy on FB and messaged him without adding him as a friend.
He replied back with the info I needed, and that's it. Added each other as friends in case we need to make contact again. Haven't messaged him or clicked his profile since then. Happened about a month ago.
TOP SHOTTA
Member
.
D
Deleted member 80556
Unconfirmed Member
Number 1 is very strange for me, only casual interactions through comments, but that's that.
Number 2 and 3, I understand, since they're my best friends.
And Number 4 is the girl I have a crush on.
The most surprising for me would be number 10, since it's this girl I haven't talked in months.
Strange enough, 13 and 14 make me doubt this is using only interactions or chat availability, since I only interacted once with 13 on Facebook, yet with 14 I've had lots of interactions and have seen her page more than 13's.
This is a very strange algorithm.
EDIT: Having some friends on Close Friends doesn't seem to do much on the list, since some of my close friends are deep down on the list, while people who are not on my Close Friends (and I don't have many interactions with them) seem to be taller on the list. Huh.
Number 2 and 3, I understand, since they're my best friends.
And Number 4 is the girl I have a crush on.
The most surprising for me would be number 10, since it's this girl I haven't talked in months.
Strange enough, 13 and 14 make me doubt this is using only interactions or chat availability, since I only interacted once with 13 on Facebook, yet with 14 I've had lots of interactions and have seen her page more than 13's.
This is a very strange algorithm.
EDIT: Having some friends on Close Friends doesn't seem to do much on the list, since some of my close friends are deep down on the list, while people who are not on my Close Friends (and I don't have many interactions with them) seem to be taller on the list. Huh.
I will be off Facebook by the time that happens.
TOP SHOTTA
Member
.
You visit his page like 50 times a day, don't you?
That's pretty much where the "debate" (and I use that word loosely, as it's mostly anecdotal speculation at this point) about this whole thing currently is. Nobody is certain how exactly Facebook's friend-ranking algorithm works, but we're all able to kind of piece together what does and doesn't contribute. Even still, there are too many strange variables, and possibly some that none of us have even considered, for us to really get anywhere, I think. :/
Erm.. Kinda. But maybe he does the same?
Maybe?
Just a perspective from the other side, right around the time I found that #10 was very interested in me and combed through my entire profile is when I started taking shit down and making my profile as barebones as possible.
I'm taking this FB stalking secret to the grave.
Well, the list for me does not correspond to the people I chat with or share things to their walls the most. Only one of the top ten I've chatted with/shared things with a fair amount. The others, well, two are friends that are gay, a few others are female friends, one is a person that I haven't spoken to in a year or more.
However, the people at the very end of the list are people I rarely if ever speak to or interact with on facebook. Or in real life.
However, the people at the very end of the list are people I rarely if ever speak to or interact with on facebook. Or in real life.
It's almost certainly far simpler than you imagine it to be because of these variations. Randomness is just part of the algorithm because it *has to be*. Otherwise your rankings would get stuck in a permanent self-reinforcing rut. You visit people, facebook thinks you're interested in them so shows them to you more, so you visit them more, so facebook shows them to you more, etc.
Something has to break that cycle or the whole thing becomes meaningless.
Oh, I don't doubt that there's some randomness built in. However, I'm inclined to not believe that it factors in quite as strongly as you seem to. As I said, we simply don't have enough information and each of our anecdotes seem to only partially support each other, so I'm not sure exactly how far along we can come on speculation alone.
But the discussion is interesting enough to continue, at least.
D
Deleted member 80556
Unconfirmed Member
So essentially, there is a way to know who is "stalking" me the most on FB, yet it is also accompanied with code that gives randomness to the rating.
So, all in all, the only way to really know is for me to become a Facebook employee?
So, all in all, the only way to really know is for me to become a Facebook employee?
yankeeforever2
Member
1. Best Friend
2. Best Friend's gf <_< ok
3. Sister
4. Second Best Friend
5. Guy I rarely talk to
6. ex-gf
Interesting for what it is
2. Best Friend's gf <_< ok
3. Sister
4. Second Best Friend
5. Guy I rarely talk to
6. ex-gf
Interesting for what it is
We don't know that. We're not actually sure whether the frequency at which someone views your profile influences their ranking on your list.
Yes.
i think it's just a ranking of people you have the most FB interactions with using whatever algorithm.
i don't use FB chat at all, i've been "appear offline" for over a year now. the top 3 that i checked seem to be people that i interact with a lot (commenting on each others posts).
i don't use FB chat at all, i've been "appear offline" for over a year now. the top 3 that i checked seem to be people that i interact with a lot (commenting on each others posts).
No, how often they view you is really unlikely to be a part of the algorithm. Like really really unlikely. Otherwise all most women would see on their facebook feed would be the 50 guys who can't get up the nerve to actually ask them out. That would be an unpleasant experience to say the least. Only your interests would be allowed to influence what they show you.
I'm not sure how much you think I think it factors in. I think that it's always going to float 2-3 pseudorandomly selected recently-active people to your interested-in list in order to allow churn. Anything less would be a bad algorithm that would result in people disengaging from lack of change.
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