Facebook Community Standards: Everything You Must Know!

Here's what you can and cannot post according to Facebook in 2023!

Each social platform has its own terms and community guidelines, and so does FB have Facebook community standards. Sometimes, you don’t even go through them and accept them while creating a profile. Since you don’t read them carefully, your account might end up getting disabled or restricted. Here’s a quick highlight on the entire list of community guidelines FB has:

  • Violence and criminal behavior
  • Safety
  • Objectionable content
  • Integrity and authenticity
  • Respecting intellectual property
  • Content-related requests and decisions

It mainly includes authenticity, safety, privacy, and dignity. Let’s see all the Facebook community standards in detail further:

What Are Facebook Community Standards?

community standards facebook

Community standards simply state what is allowed on Facebook and what’s restricted. Facebook builds these on the advice of its community and experts in the field of technology, public safety, and human rights. The FB Community standards are created to make sure that everyone’s voice is valued.

The main principles of the Facebook community Standards are:

  • Authenticity: Facebook makes sure that its users see authentic content. They do not want anyone to misinterpret who they are and what they do.
  • Safety: The social media giant commits to making the platform safe. They take down content that risks the physical security of their users. Content that threatens, intimates, or excludes people is not allowed on Facebook.
  • Privacy: Privacy allows you to be your authentic self and helps you choose how, when and what to share on Facebook. You don’t need to worry about your privacy and info.
  • Dignity: Facebook promotes dignity as it believes everyone should have equal rights and dignity. Therefore, you cannot share content that doesn’t respect others’ dignity. You should restrain from posting content that harasses or degrades others.

Violence and criminal behavior

Facebook restricts content that promotes violence. Accounts, pages, or groups that provoke harmful content are traced, flagged, and blocked. It prevents individuals and organizations from encouraging or initiating violence and criminal behavior. Here are some factors Facebook considers under violence and criminal behavior:

  • Violence and incitement
  • Dangerous individuals and organizations
  • Coordinating harm and promoting crime
  • Restricted goods and services
  • Fraud and deception

Safety

Anything that motivates physical harm, exploitation, abuse, bullying, or harassment promotes loss of life that’s either self-inflicted or by others will be restricted. Below are aspects that fall under safety guidelines for FB community standards:

  • Suicide and self-injury
  • Child sexual exploitation, abuse, and nudity
  • Adult sexual exploitation
  • Bullying and harassment
  • Human exploitation
  • Privacy violations

Objectionable content

Facebook allows you to share your thoughts and opinions openly. But you should avoid sharing posts or content that spreads hate, violence, and sexual content. Here’s what you need to look into if you get flagged for posting objectionable content:

  • Hate speech
  • Violent and graphic content
  • Adult nudity and sexual activity
  • Sexual solicitation

Integrity and authenticity

If you have an individual account, page, or group, you need to make sure it belongs to a real person. And the posts or content that you present are true. This community guideline also protects you from fraud.

  • Account integrity and authentic identity
  • Spam
  • Cybersecurity
  • Inauthentic behavior
  • Misinformation
  • Memorialization

Respecting intellectual property

Before sharing any content, make sure that you ahve the rights to do so. You shouldn’t steal others’ content, as Facebook promotes the protection of intellectual property. The FB terms of service restrict people from posting content that violates others’ intellectual property rights.

  • Intellectual property

Content-related requests and decisions

Facebook complies with individuals that want to remove their own account or the profile of a deceased member. It also supports the removal of underage and child abuse content.

  • User requests
  • Additional protection for minors

You can read all the community guidelines in detail here.

What Happens If You Violate Facebook Community Standards?

They will take down the post if you go against the Facebook community guidelines. Also, they will notify you so you understand the reason behind it. Also, depending upon the severity of the policy you violated, Facebook can either remove the content, restrict your account or disable your account.

What happens when Facebook removes your content?

Facebook will first notify you if you post something against the community standards. This is usually in the support inbox. Here’s where you’ll find it:

  1. Open the Facebook app and tap on the ‘hamburger icon.’
  2. Go to ‘Help & Support.’
  3. Next, select ‘Support Inbox.’
  4. Under ‘Your alerts,’ you will see the violations if you have any.

But if you think your post doesn’t violate the standards, you can appeal to Facebook.

What happens when Facebook restricts your account?

Facebook does not immediately restrict your account! You may receive a warning. But if you continue to violate, you will lose access to some features. If FB removes multiple posts, they might restrict your account for a while. If your FB account is banned, you can see the history of violations and how long the restrictions will last in the ‘Account Status’ option. Also, if FB reviews your post and concludes that it didn’t o against the standards, they might put up the post again and remove the account restriction so that it doesn’t count in the future.

What happens when Facebook disables your account?

If you repeatedly violate the community standard guidelines, they might disable your account. Also, if you break strict community guidelines like child sexual exploitation, your FB account gets disabled on the very first occurrence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What are the 10 Facebook community standards?

The FB Community standards list what is acceptable and restricted on the platform. Here’s a list of the 10 Facebook community standards:

The basic principles of the FB community Standards are authenticity, safety, privacy, and dignity

  1. Violence and criminal behavior
  2. Safety
  3. Objectional content
  4. Integrity and authenticity
  5. Respecting intellectual property
  6. Content-related requests and decisions

Q2. How long do community standard violations last on Facebook?

If you have violated the FB community standards, Facebook might restrict your activities, including posting and engaging in others’ posts. Whatever strikes imply on your account expire after one year.

Q3. What happens if you disagree with Facebook community standards?

If you think that your post doesn’t violate any community guidelines or terms of service, you will have a chance to request a review. There’s a possibility that you might receive an instant reply, but FB will keep you updated.

Q4. Why does it say my post goes against our community standards?

Suppose you have shared a post or link that has already been reported against the FB community standards. In that case, you will receive a notification that says your post goes against their community standards. Therefore, you must avoid sharing content that has been reported. Or something that goes against the community standards.

Q5. How do I check my FB violations?

If you think you have violated some community guidelines or terms and terms of service, you need to check if you’ve received an alert from Facebook. Here’s where you will receive an alert or warning:

  1. First, open the Facebook app and tap on the ‘hamburger icon.’
  2. Next, go to ‘Help & Support.’
  3. Next, select ‘Support Inbox.’
  4. Then, under ‘Your alerts,’ you will see the violations if you have any.

Conclusion

You must read the Facebook community standards carefully before creating a page or group on FB, if you want to avoid getting banned or restricted. Avoid creating fake accounts or pretending to be someone else, as FB promotes authenticity. Refrain from promoting violence, sexual activity, child abuse, and harmful content. Here are the main elements of the community guidelines that you must strictly follow to avoid a Facebook jail:

  • Violence and criminal behavior
  • Safety
  • Objectionable content
  • Integrity and authenticity
  • Respecting intellectual property
  • Content-related requests and decisions