The process of limiting the visibility of one’s friend list on Facebook to only display shared connections, or “mutual friends,” enhances privacy and control over shared information. This function restricts the audience who can view a user’s full friend list to only those individuals who are already connected to that user. For example, if person A and person B are friends, person A viewing person C’s profile would only see the friends they have in common, not person C’s entire network.
Controlling friend list visibility is important for managing digital identity and reducing potential exposure to unwanted contacts. Historically, Facebook’s privacy settings have evolved to grant users greater granular control over what information is shared and with whom. The ability to limit friend list visibility aligns with broader trends toward user empowerment in online social networking.