The visibility of shared connections on the Facebook platform is a feature that allows users to see which friends they have in common with other users. This feature is generally enabled by default and provides a social context within the network. For instance, if a user views the profile of someone they are not yet connected with, the “Mutual Friends” section will display a list of individuals that both users are friends with.
The ability to limit the visibility of these shared connections can be important for maintaining privacy. Individuals may wish to control the information that others can access about their social graph. Historically, Facebook’s privacy settings have evolved, reflecting user concerns about data control and the desire for greater customization over profile information.