Browsing through Instagram at random and seeing a bunch of people categorized under “Who You Might Know” is a strange experience. You already follow your friend’s first account, so did Instagram suggest they have another account? Why do you see your best friend’s college mates in this section? You can run across someone with whom you have no connection and wonder why they are even here.
Does this all imply that they are the individuals who have looked at your profile most recently? However, there’s a reason why the person you may or may not know is there on your Instagram notification.
Many users have thought about it, just like you. And, to be honest, it does sound a bit mysterious. If you’re curious, dive into the blog to find the answer.
Does Who You Might Know on Instagram Notification Mean That Was the Most Recent Person Who Viewed Your Profile?
The Who You Might Know Instagram notification is probably one of the creepiest yet the most useful features Instagram has. To clear up any confusion, this notification on your app does not indicate that the person who saw your profile the most recently is suggested to you.
There are a few factors involved in the relatively complex algorithm that is used to get a user’s list. Please know the reason your Instagram algorithm is suggesting those users to you is that it thinks you might know them or have a relationship with them. Now, the platform takes it upon itself to connect you two since you don’t already follow each other.
Instagram hasn’t disclosed how they promote these users, probably because they value user privacy and maintain a user-friendly experience. Nevertheless, we will look into a few factors that might help Instagram curate the list.
They are in your contacts
Many of the contacts we have on our phones are also on Instagram. However, do we follow everyone? No, right?
But their phone number is likely connected to their Instagram account. Now, if you see their name appear in that section, know that Instagram has identified this and notified you.
If you don’t want them to be recommended to you in the first place, you may delete the number, reject the suggestion, and move on.
You are in their contacts
You might tell us that you found someone in your Who You Might Know section even if you’ve never kept their contact details in your contact book. You may be lying, but we won’t call you on it because there is yet another explanation.
It’s more than just putting their numbers on your phone and getting a recommendation. Perhaps they have saved your number in their phones, and Instagram assumes that you both would like to get connected. You can turn off your contact syncing option on Instagram if that’s the case.
Instagram detects you live somewhere close to them
Some of us really enjoy sharing our locations when we post a photo on Instagram from any place. If you’re not a traveler, chances are most of your photos are from your hometown!
If you often add the location of your hometown in your posts or stories, Instagram will now know that you either live there or visit often. If it discovers another user posting from your location often, it will add them to your list of people you might know.
Just know that you can’t stop receiving these recommendations if you stop sharing your location. Perhaps that’s the only way this can work.
You are Facebook friends
You know you can connect your Facebook and Instagram accounts, right? If you join both social networks, there is a chance that your Facebook friends will show up on your Who You Might Know list.
You won’t find their names in the list if they haven’t joined Instagram or you are already following each other. Thus, don’t panic the next time you see your professor in that section. If you don’t want them to see your account, just block them and go on.
You have mutual followers
If you follow two of your closest friends on Instagram and they both enroll at the same university, their new college friend may show up in your Who You Might Know section. Do you get what we mean?
Your two best friends must be following their new college friends, right? That means that the new college buddy and you have two friends in common already! Instagram gives you each other’s names since you follow the same accounts, allowing you to communicate with each other on the platform.
You were in the same high school
Let us tell you another way Instagram might have discovered this information, in case you are curious and go crazy thinking about it. So, let’s assume you two are Facebook friends who have linked your Instagram and Facebook accounts.
Most of us update our Facebook pages with our schools and universities! We also provide the beginning and ending dates of our high school or college years, correct? Likely, someone you have received a recommendation for on a list of people you might know attended the same school or college.
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