Can You Hide Your Friends on Facebook from Friends? The Truth Behind Small Circles and Privacy Settings

Introduction

Having a small circle of friends isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, quality over quantity often matters more. This article delves into the question of whether you can hide your friends on Facebook from your other friends, discusses the importance of a small but meaningful social network, and provides the technical instructions to configure your privacy settings effectively.

Is It Okay to Have a Small Circle of Friends?

It's often said that there is nothing wrong with having a small circle of true friends. One good friend is indeed better than a multitude of bad ones. This belief is rooted in many proverbs, one of which is:

ldquo;Those that matter dont mind. Those that mind dont matterrdquo;.

This saying captures the essence of what matters in a social circle – it's the friends that are genuine and stand by you through thick and thin. These friends are worth cherishing, and they are plentitude enough.

Why Denese’s Perspective Matters

Denese offers a practical perspective on maintaining a small but meaningful social network on Facebook. Over a few years, Denese conducted Facebook classes for senior citizens, where the emphasis was on staying connected with family members in distant locations. Numbers such as 7 or 10 friends were quite common among these participants. This highlights that having a small circle of close friends is not only acceptable but often preferred.

The Power of Privacy Settings

While the number of friends you have on Facebook may not be ideal or required, the settings you use to control who can see your friends are essential. Facebook provides powerful tools to manage your privacy, allowing you to hide your friends from others in your network. It's a matter of personal preference and can help you maintain the privacy you desire.

How to Hide Friends on Facebook

Here’s how you can use your Facebook settings to control who sees your friends:

Step 1: Access the Privacy Settings

Click the downward arrow located in the upper right corner of your page. This will open a dropdown menu. From the dropdown menu, select ldquo;Settings Privacyrdquo;. Here, click on ldquo;Privacy Settingsrdquo; or ldquo;Settings Privacy Privacy Settingsrdquo;.

Step 2: Customize Your Friends List Privacy

Under the ldquo;Privacy: Friends Listrdquo; section, click the ldquo;Friends List Visibilityrdquo; setting. Here, you can choose whether to show, hide, or Friends Only your friends list. If you choose to hide it, only you will be able to see the list of your friends, preventing others from seeing it.

Step 3: Manage Specific Friends

Below the ldquo;Privacy: Friends Listrdquo; section, you’ll see the ldquo;Friend List: Friendsrdquo; section. Here, you can adjust the visibility of specific friends you don’t want anyone else to see. Hover over a friend's name and click on the ... menu that appears. Choose either ldquo;View on Timelinerdquo;, ldquo;Hide from Timelinerdquo;, or ldquo;View on Timeline, but Hide from Friends Listrdquo;. Making a friend Hidden from Friends List means that friend will not appear in your friends list section, even if that friend views your profile.

These steps give you the flexibility to control who can see your friends list and who can see your friends even when they visit your profile.

Conclusion

Whether you have 7, 10, or 70 friends on Facebook, the number isn't as important as the quality of your relationships. Small but meaningful connections can sometimes be better than a horde of acquaintances. If you find that you want to hide your friends from others in your network, Facebook provides tools to do just that. By understanding and utilizing the privacy settings, you can maintain the level of privacy you desire.