Terry writes: Is there any way to keep Facebook from suggesting me to others as a “Person You May Know”? I’m getting all kinds of random requests from people I barely know and I want it to stop.

Hi Terry! So here’s the deal: you can’t completely stop Facebook from putting your name out there as a possible friend (no surprise there), but at least you can limit who gets to see the suggestions.

As usual, you’ll find the key setting on the Privacy Settings page:

Facebook tip: How to limit who sees you as a suggested friend

  • Go to Facebook, click the little downward arrow in the top-right corner of the page, and select Privacy Settings.
  • Next, find the How You Connect section and click the Edit Settings link.
  • In the window that appears, click the pull-down menu next to “Who can send you friend requests?” and—if you haven’t already—select “Friends of friends” rather than “Everyone.”
  • Clink Done.

Now, make no mistake: a lot of people are still going to see your name and photo as a suggested friend, particularly if you’ve got a wide circle of Facebook pals.

That said, you won’t be suggested as a possible Facebook friend to total strangers anymore.

Have another Facebook question, or a tip to share? Let us know in the comments below.

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