Web Applications Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for power users of web applications. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
According to the Facebook FAQ, users may have their ability to send friend requests temporarily disabled if too many of them have gone "unanswered or been marked as unwelcome." I understand this is to prevent spam. But my question is, just what does Facebook consider to be an "unanswered" friend request? When the recipient clicks "Not Now"? When they delete the request? Or do they have to actually mark it as spam?
Also, does anyone know if the number of mutual friends is taken into account?
Clicking "Not Now" will hide the request so you can take action on it later. If you choose to hide a friend request, a notification for the request will no longer appear on your home page. To confirm or delete the request later:
If you hide or delete a friend request, the sender won't know.
The sender WILL know if they go to check up on the 'progress' of the request. If it says "friend request sent" and "message" on the person's profile, then the person has yet to decide. If it says "message" only, then the person has said both "not now" AND "Mark as spam" to the request. You then have to wait three months, before the "send friend request" option returns ... or the receiver can change its' status within their own activity log, and reinstate your ability to 'request' them again.
Facebook will leave the request there for 3 months, after which - if nothing is done with it - it becomes "unanswered", and the sender can then make another 'request'.
