Facebook app friends list

Question

Level 1

2 points

Facebook app friends list

On Facebook, why does friends on my friend's list keep disappearing and reappearing? It's not like they deleted me off their friends list because I can see them reappear again on the list without a friend's request. Does anyone know if there is a way that friend's can turn off and on to have their profile be viewed on their friend's list?

For example, if I don't want to be included on any of my friend's friend's list, is this possible. I read somewhere on Facebook that friend's can always see their friend's on their friend's list. But somehow on the iPhone app, I keep noticing friend's disappear and reappear without any friend's request.

iOS 4

Posted on Mar 30, 2011 6:08 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Sam M.

Level 3

604 points

Mar 30, 2011 9:17 PM in response to cc015

Not possible to do what you are suggesting (make your profile disappear to certain people without having to send a new friend request). The issue you are having could be caused by 1 of 2 things (or both).

1. Facebook is a massive database that is constantly being updated and worked on. Occasionally a profile will appear "unavailable" and this would make the user appear to have defriended you. You won't see them on your friends list, etc. If for whatever reason you have bookmarked their profile on your computer, when you go to their profile URL you will even get an error (as opposed to seeing their actual profile with an Add as Friend button if they did in fact defriend you). There is no resolution to this and really does not happen very often (but will be noticeable on a smaller friends list).

2. Users can deactivate their account (many of my friends do so during finals week to prevent temptation and promote studying or when they are applying for a new job and do not want to be found). You also have no control over this as well. Symptoms are identical to above and you will see the user reappear after they have reactivated.

-SM

Reply