Ever have the need to build up your Facebook friend count? Then use the section ‘people you may know’. However, many of those people you probably don’t know. But for one woman, it opened up a world from long ago. It opened up Facebook and family secrets.
So this is the article I read. As this woman browsed through ‘people you may know’, a last name Porter came up. That was the name of her biological grandfather. But due to some heartbreaking circumstances, she never knew her grandfather. Yes, there was some reconciliation between the families, but they didn’t use Facebook to do it. She could ignore the Porter name, but didn’t.
The woman messaged Ms. Porter, asking did she know her. Not only did Ms. Porter know they woman; it turns out they were related. Porter was the woman’s great aunt. The aunt is married to the grandfathers’s brother. The couple began their relationship 35 years ago, around the time the woman was born. It was a wonderful reunion, and both women were grateful to learn about more about their heritage. Both rejoiced at the long lost connection. But I got to ask the question, “How does Facebook know this know about us”?
Often times, I look at my ‘people you may know’ list. I don’t know about her, but some people on this list I never met or heard of in my life. Some of these people I don’t remember them from school, college, previous job, previous church, the bars I go to, nothing. Then I find out how some people get on this list. It could be from who your FB friends are. It could also be a photo, network, or group/contact you’re in. For example, I could belong to a computer repair group. I only know 5 people in the group, but they’re actually over 100 people there. So Facebook may put people from that group there. I still have a lot of questions. What about Facebook and family secrets? Can they reveal anybody’s?