My Ex Stalks Me on Facebook

5 signs your ex is stalking you on Facebook

If you suspect your ex stalks you on Facebook, there are a few telltale signs to look out for. Here are five warning signs your ex is stalking you on Facebook

1. They share your memories or anniversaries

Facebook Memories is a feature that shows you the previous posts you made or were tagged in. It also shows you your anniversaries — things that happened on that day in the past.  

While this is usually a nice feature that reminds you of great memories, it can also stir up sore memories of past relationships that didn’t turn out well. An ex-partner who misses that relationship may want to share these memories in the hopes that it will convince you to get back with them.  

If your ex is sharing your Facebook Memories on a regular basis, it’s a sign that they are keeping tabs on you.

2. They check your Facebook stories often

You can see who has viewed your story on Facebook, just like stories on other social media sites like Snapchat and Instagram. This makes it a good way to check who stalks you on Facebook.

Keep an eye on who is watching your stories. If your ex is consistently viewing them it could be a sign they are Facebook stalking you. If your stories are set to public, watch out for what other profiles are watching your stories. If a stranger is regularly watching your stories, it could be your ex on a fake account.

If your ex is viewing your stories, this alone isn’t proof that they’re stalking you. However, if you see that they’re constantly viewing your stories and you notice some of the other warning signs in this list, then you should be concerned.  

3. They send an unsolicited friend request

Some people decide to unfriend or block their ex on social media. If you do this without telling the person and they send you a friend request, it means they have been looking at your profile and have noticed that you are no longer friends.  

They might add you because they want to try to reconnect. However, this can result in unpleasant interactions and sometimes harassment. Depending on your circumstances, it might be best to leave your ex-partner unfriended.  

And while a friend request doesn’t necessarily mean they’re stalking you, it can be a red flag if combined with other warning signs — especially if you receive multiple friend requests from different accounts that you think are created by your ex.

4. They seek your engagement on Facebook

Another sign your ex is stalking you is if they’re constantly trying to seek your attention on Facebook. Sometimes, this is very obvious, but other times it isn’t.  

Think about your ex’s usual posting habits and take note of how those habits may have changed. If you notice they start regularly posting things they know will get your attention, commenting on your posts, and tagging you, they are likely trying to get your attention.

The best thing to do here is to ignore them or even block them if it becomes too much.  

5. They appear more often in the “people you may know” section

When Facebook determines who to suggest in the “people you may know” section, they’re recommending people they think are close to you. Occasionally, the algorithm can be impacted by people who have viewed your profile.  

If you have unfriended your ex and they keep popping up in your “people you may know” suggestions, it may let you see who is stalking you on Facebook.

Why is my ex stalking me on Facebook?

There are many reasons your ex is looking at your Facebook profile, and not all of them are necessarily malicious.  

Checking in on your ex once or twice after breaking up is pretty normal and is likely due to curiosity. They might wonder how you’re doing or what you’re up to after some time apart. It’s not uncommon for people to check their ex’s profile to see if they are dating someone else, especially if jealousy was an issue in their relationship.

However, when your ex is consistently looking at your profile and trying to get you to interact with them, it can be a problem — especially if it’s been going on for a long time.  

Another reason may be a desire to reconnect with you. This is likely to be the case if they are interacting with you or your friends regularly. While this may seem harmless, it can get irritating and, if you aren’t interested, it’s best to nip those attempts in the bud sooner rather than later.  

Should I be worried about Facebook stalking?

Facebook stalking can range from relatively harmless (but discomforting) to malicious and downright terrifying. The worst part is, it can be hard to determine if someone like your ex is stalking you on the platform.  

Ultimately, you are entitled to a certain level of privacy from your ex, even online. If you feel uncomfortable with the amount that your ex is looking at and interacting with your profile, you should put a stop to it as soon as possible. For example, by removing your personal information from the public eye.  

Not only will this protect your privacy from any ex-partners that you’re worried about, but it can help you reduce your digital footprint and increase your online privacy.  

What do you do to an ex who stalks you on Facebook?

If you suspect your ex is Facebook stalking you, what you choose to do will depend on the level of stalking and the motivations of your ex. If you don’t want to confront them about their behavior, it’s possible to alter your Facebook settings to limit what they can see and do.

Here’s what to do if your ex is stalking you:

• Unfollow them. Unfollowing your ex will hide their attempts to engage with you. You’ll stop seeing their posts on your timeline, and you won’t be goaded into interacting with them. However, they’ll still be able to see your posts, so this isn’t the best solution. It’s mostly a solution if, for some reason, you aren’t able to unfriend them at this moment.  
• Unfriend them. Once you unfriend your ex, you won’t be able to see their activity. If your privacy settings are too relaxed, they’ll still be able to see some of your activity. However, they won’t be able to interact with you unless they send a friend request.  
• Block them. Blocking someone means they can no longer see your profile or the posts that you are tagged in. They won’t be able to message you or tag you in posts and when they try to look at old messages you will only appear as a “Facebook user.” They might notice this, but there’s very little they can do about it on the Facebook platform.  
• Avoid their friend requests. If your ex is using other accounts to stalk you, it can be hard to block them all. However, as long as you don’t add these accounts to your friends, what they can see and do will be limited by your privacy settings.
• Block their friends. Unfortunately, it’s relatively common for people to ask mutual friends to inform them of updates to your Facebook profile. If there’s someone in your Facebook friends that you think may relay parts of your profile to your ex, it’s a good idea to unfriend or block that person too.
• Update your privacy settings. You should change your privacy settings so that stalkers (and strangers) cannot see or interact with your account. Luckily, Facebook makes it easy to hide your account details and activity to outsiders. Check out our complete guide on how to change privacy settings on Facebook to see how.  
• Contact the police. If the stalking has reached serious levels, including threats of harm or other alarming behavior, it’s time to get the police involved. Document all concerning behavior your ex displays, but avoid engaging with them. Your local law enforcement will hopefully put an end to the stalking.  

You can also use Clario’s VPN to help protect your privacy.

1. Download Clario on your device and set up your account
2. Toggle Browsing protection on
3. Tap Turn on > Allow, and enter your phone’s password
4. Clario will connect you to the best server, and that’s it!  

Watch how to turn on your VPN in the video instruction below.  

Conclusion

A little peek at an ex’s profile every now and then is relatively normal and harmless. However, full-on stalking can be disarming and problematic. If you know if someone is stalking you on Facebook, look for those telltale signs and take the appropriate steps to stop it.