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sdgrrl

Junior Member
California

Hi Everyone,

I am unsure where to post this. Earlier today I accessed Facebook and in the suggested friends section my therapist showed up. I have never Google searched her name, emailed her from my Gmail account and we have no mutual friends.

The occurrence of all the people who could show up as a potential friend being a very private doctor makes me feel severely violated. How did Facebook know to link us together. My doctor showing up is just too uncanny.

Is there any recourse? If I sued would Facebook have to disclose how their algorithim put my doctor and I together? I understand if I sound overreaching, but my patient rights are protected under HIPPA.
 


ajkroy

Member
California

Hi Everyone,

I am unsure where to post this. Earlier today I accessed Facebook and in the suggested friends section my therapist showed up. I have never Google searched her name, emailed her from my Gmail account and we have no mutual friends.

The occurrence of all the people who could show up as a potential friend being a very private doctor makes me feel severely violated. How did Facebook know to link us together. My doctor showing up is just too uncanny.

Is there any recourse? If I sued would Facebook have to disclose how their algorithim put my doctor and I together? I understand if I sound overreaching, but my patient rights are protected under HIPPA.
If your doctor is in your phone and you have ever accessed facebook on your phone, that's how they connected.
 

>Charlotte<

Lurker
I'm no Facebook expert, but aren't you the only one who can see your "suggested friends"? And, no, HIPAA (not HIPPA) doesn't apply.

Facebook recently suggested to me a "friend" with absolutely no social connection. The only possible "digital" connection is the fact that I have a vCard for him in my Outlook address book. Creeped me out a little, but such is life in the digital age.
 

sdgrrl

Junior Member
Time to disconnect

I'm no Facebook expert, but aren't you the only one who can see your "suggested friends"? And, no, HIPAA (not HIPPA) doesn't apply.

Facebook recently suggested to me a "friend" with absolutely no social connection. The only possible "digital" connection is the fact that I have a vCard for him in my Outlook address book. Creeped me out a little, but such is life in the digital age.
I'm definitely considering disabling my account after this. I knew my privacy no longer belonged to me to an extent, but this incident is too unsettling.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
I'm definitely considering disabling my account after this. I knew my privacy no longer belonged to me to an extent, but this incident is too unsettling.
That's your choice. Buried in all the fine print is where you give permission for this. You can choose not to patronize the establishment if you wish. But, please keep in mind that just not using Facebook is not going to protect your privacy.
 

sdgrrl

Junior Member
I feel a little better

That's your choice. Buried in all the fine print is where you give permission for this. You can choose not to patronize the establishment if you wish. But, please keep in mind that just not using Facebook is not going to protect your privacy.
Very true. On a positive note I just Google searched my full name and all is well in that universe. One person with my exact name has a criminal background, but any valid background check would show it wasn't me. Thank heavens I was not in my teens or twenties in the age of camera phones or Facebook. Most kids today have no clue the digital fingerprint they are leaving behind.

Thanks for all the posts.
 

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