Every now and then, I receive a friend request from someone I’ve never met or don’t know — and while some may see this as an opportunity to expand their social circle, I prefer to keep my feed more… normal. Receiving friend requests from strangers on Facebook is common, but accepting them can open the door to unexpected problems. Whether for privacy or security reasons, I choose not to accept these requests. Here are some reasons why I don’t accept friend requests on Facebook from strangers. Check out the best anonymous chat apps: The best way to communicate with strangers without revealing your identity.
1. I want to make the summary relevant.
For me, Facebook is a place to keep up with friends, family, and people I already interact with. Sticking to people I actually know keeps my feed full of things I care about — updates from close friends, family milestones, and local events.
It’s easy for your feed to become a mess of irrelevant content if you start adding strangers, and I prefer to avoid that. I use Facebook to stay in touch with people I already know — not to expand my social network. I have other apps I use for that purpose.
2. I don't want strangers to see my old posts.
I’ve been using Facebook for years, and I admit that I haven’t gone through my timeline to sort through old posts. Like most people, I’ve probably shared things that are old or a little embarrassing by today’s standards. I know I should probably review or delete some “just me” posts, but life has gotten busy, and I haven’t been able to do that.
The idea of someone I don’t even know going through my old posts bothers me and I’d rather not risk accepting a friend request from a stranger. Check out how to clean up your old social media posts if you have accounts from years ago.
3. Avoid awkward interactions.
One thing I appreciate about Facebook is how it handles direct messages. If I don’t accept a friend request from a stranger, any message they send goes straight to my “Message Requests” folder. It’s hidden, and I never have to deal with it unless I intentionally choose to check that folder.
However, if I accept the friend request, things change. Suddenly, this person has direct access to my inbox. They can message me freely, and now I’m stuck dealing with whatever they send. It could be anything from awkward comments to uncomfortable questions, and at that point, it’s hard to ignore or avoid them.
4. Possibility of fraud
We all know that scams are rampant on the internet, and Facebook is no exception. I’ve seen enough posts from friends whose accounts have been hacked or who have received suspicious messages from “friends” to make me more cautious. The more strangers I accept as friends on Facebook, the more likely I am to expose myself to these risks. It’s just not worth it.
Declining requests from strangers is the best way I know to keep my account — and my peace of mind — safe. Learn how to recognize and avoid scam ads on social media.
5. It's easier to stay honest.
Since I stopped adding strangers to Facebook, I’ve found it easier to be myself. When I know who sees my posts, I don’t feel pressured to filter what I share or worry about being judged by someone I barely know.
Of course, there’s still the reality of Facebook’s data collection and use to consider. I don’t pretend that by keeping strangers out, I can treat Facebook like a personal journal. I still have things I’d rather not share on social media. However, limiting my friends list means one less thing to worry about oversharing. It gives me a little more peace of mind knowing that the audience following my posts is someone I feel comfortable with.
Accepting friend requests from strangers doesn’t align with how I want to use Facebook. I want my feed to be relevant, my privacy to be intact, and my interactions to be meaningful. Plus, there’s something nice about knowing that the people seeing my posts are people I actually know. Now you can see how social media has changed my life for the better.
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