Facebook allows you to tag or mention people in posts and comments, even if they are not your friends on the platform. When you mention someone, you can notify them and bring their attention to your post or comment. Here is a quick rundown on how mentioning works on Facebook:
What happens when you mention someone on Facebook?
When you mention someone in a post or comment by tagging them using the @ symbol followed by their name, the following happens:
- The person you mentioned will receive a notification that you have mentioned them, even if they are not your friend on Facebook.
- The mention creates a link to their Facebook profile page in your post or comment.
- If the post visibility is set to public, the mention can be seen by anyone on or off Facebook. If it’s friends only, then it can only be seen by your mutual friends.
- The person can remove the tag from your post if they wish. This will unlink their profile.
- If the person you mentioned comments on the same post, they will be automatically untagged.
Who can you mention on Facebook?
You can mention the following people on Facebook, even if they are not your friends:
- Any Facebook user with a public profile
- Friends of friends
- People who are not your Facebook friends, as long as their privacy settings allow tagging by people off Facebook
- Facebook Pages and public figures
- Groups on Facebook (will notify group admins and moderators)
However, you cannot tag someone who:
- Has their tag review setting enabled and hasn’t approved your tag
- Has their posts set to Friends only
- Has disabled the option to allow people on Facebook to tag them
- Has blocked you on Facebook
Where can you mention people on Facebook?
You can mention people in the following places on Facebook:
- In a post (status update)
- In a photo or video caption
- In a comment on a post, photo, or video
- In a Facebook Story
- In a Facebook Marketplace listing
- In a private message (can only tag friends in messages)
- In a Facebook event post or comment
- In a Facebook fundraiser
- In a Facebook Ad
- In a Facebook community group post or comment
How to mention someone on Facebook
Mentioning or tagging someone on Facebook is easy to do:
- When creating a post, comment, story, event, etc. type the @ symbol.
- Start typing the person’s name or Facebook handle.
- Select the correct name/handle when it appears as a drop-down option.
- Finish your update and hit Post/Enter to share.
The person’s name will become linked to their profile. They will get a notification of your mention if their settings allow it.
Why would you mention someone on Facebook?
Here are some common reasons for mentioning or tagging someone who is not your Facebook friend:
- Tagging them in a post or photo they are also in to notify them.
- Mentioning them in a comment to get their attention or opinion on something.
- To give them credit for something like a work collaboration or shared experience.
- To recommend their product, business, or content to your connections.
- To invite them to view or participate in something on Facebook.
- To publicly communicate with someone you don’t have a Facebook friendship with.
What happens if you mention a non-friend too often?
If you repeatedly mention someone who is not your friend on Facebook, the following may happen:
- The person may find it annoying and block your ability to tag them.
- Facebook may flag your mentions as spam, limiting your ability to mention them.
- You risk your mention notifications being ignored if you over-tag someone.
- The person mentioned may report your tagging as harassing or abusive if it’s excessive.
That’s why it’s best to only mention people who are not your friends when you have a specific purpose and limit how often you tag them unnecessarily.
Can you mention a Page on Facebook?
Yes, you can mention or tag any public Facebook Page in your posts, comments, stories, etc. This includes:
- Business Pages
- Brand Pages
- Product Pages
- Entertainer Pages
- Politician Pages
- Community Pages
- Pet Pages
- Any other public Page on Facebook
When you tag a Page, the Page admins will receive a notification. Mentioning Pages can help get their attention, promote their content, or create an association between you and the Page.
Should you mention friends and non-friends differently?
It’s generally okay to mention both friends and non-friends in posts when you have a specific purpose. However, here are some tips on mentioning non-friends politely:
- Only tag them if it’s relevant and valuable for them.
- Limit tagging non-friends in funny memes or joke posts.
- Wish them Happy Birthday instead of assuming they want a public tag.
- Keep private details between you private.
- Mention Pages more freely than individual non-friends.
- Respect wishes if they prefer not to be tagged.
Being thoughtful about tagging non-friends differently than close friends can go a long way in building positive social media relationships!
Can you mention someone in a private Facebook message?
You can only tag people who are already your Facebook friends in private messages. Mentions in private chats work the same as in public posts:
- Type @ and select their name from the drop-down list.
- The tag will link to their profile and notify them.
- Allows you to directly address them in a group message.
You cannot tag someone who is not your Facebook friend in a private message. You will need to add them first before their name appears as a tagging option in messaging.
Can you mention someone in a Facebook group?
Yes, you can mention both group members and non-members in posts and comments within a Facebook group, such as:
- Public and private Facebook groups you are a member of
- Facebook community groups focused on specific interests
Rules for mentioning people in groups include:
- You can only tag members who have joined the group.
- Non-members can be tagged but won’t get notifications.
- Group admins/mods may restrict certain tags and mentions.
- Excessive tagging in groups risks removal or banning.
So mentioning people in moderation is recommended, based on the group rules and norms.
Can you mention someone in a Facebook event?
When creating a Facebook event or commenting on an event, you can tag people to notify them. This includes:
- Friends and non-friends invited to the event
- People not invited who you want to notify
- Pages and businesses relevant to the event
Things to keep in mind when mentioning people in events:
- Only invited guests will get notifications from tags.
- You can tag people in both public and private event posts.
- Focus tags on people relevant to the event or post.
- Don’t spam tag people excessively on public event posts.
Can you tag someone who has blocked you on Facebook?
If someone has blocked you on Facebook, you can no longer tag them in any posts, comments, messages, etc. When blocked by someone:
- You cannot tag them or invite them to events.
- Any existing tags by you will be removed from their view.
- They will not see any of your mentions, tags, messages, etc.
The only way to tag someone again after being blocked is if they choose to unblock you. Otherwise, your tags will not go through to a blocked user.
Can you tag strangers or people you don’t know?
It’s technically possible to tag anyone with a public profile on Facebook, even if you don’t know them. However, there are risks to randomly tagging strangers, including:
- The tag may qualify as harassment if unwanted.
- The person will likely just ignore or delete your odd tag.
- Facebook may limit your ability to tag if abused.
- The person can report your tag as spam.
That’s why it’s best to only tag and mention people you have an existing connection with in some way. Don’t spam tag random profiles just because you are able to.
Can you tag someone who has passed away on Facebook?
If someone has passed away, you can still tag their Facebook profile if it has been memorialized. When you tag a memorialized account:
- The tag will still link to their profile.
- The tag will not actually notify the person or send to their Timeline.
- It may notify their designated legacy contact if they have one.
- It allows you to associate the person’s name on Facebook still.
Memorialized accounts remain viewable on Facebook, allowing friends and family to share memories. Tagging these accounts can be part of remembering someone after their passing.
Can business accounts mention people on Facebook?
Facebook business accounts and creators can definitely mention people in their posts. Useful cases for businesses mentioning people include:
- Tagging a customer in a positive review of your business.
- Sharing great feedback from a customer.
- Tagging charities, partners, or sponsors.
- Promoting influencers, brand ambassadors, or affiliates.
- Tagging a public figure or celebrity if sponsor-approved.
- Mentioning contributors, employees, or volunteers.
Businesses should focus on tagging consenting individuals where relevant and avoid spam tagging random people.
Can you tag people on Facebook without consent?
Legally, you can mention someone on public social media like Facebook without getting their explicit consent first. However, common courtesy standards suggest you should only tag users:
- Who you have a direct relationship with
- Who would reasonably expect or appreciate being tagged by you
- In relevant, non-harassing contexts
- Who have not objected to tagging or blocked you
While public figures may be used to unsolicited tags from strangers, ordinary people likely want some connection first. When in doubt, ask someone before tagging them repeatedly.
Table summarizing when you can and can’t tag someone on Facebook
| Can You Tag Them? | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Friends | ✅ | |
| Friends of Friends | ✅ | |
| Public Profile Non-Friends | ✅ | |
| Private Account Strangers | ❌ | |
| Celebrities and Public Figures | ✅ | |
| Facebook Pages | ✅ | |
| Group Members | ✅ | |
| Blocked Users | ❌ | |
| Deactivated Accounts | ❌ | |
| Deleted Profiles | ❌ | |
| Memorialized/Remembered | ✅ |
Conclusion
Facebook’s tagging and mentioning features allow you to interact with friends and non-friends alike by calling out their names in posts. While you can technically tag anyone, focusing on people you know, relevant public figures, and brands provides the most value without veering into spammy or harassing territory. With the proper discretion, mentioning others on Facebook can be a great way to widen your social reach.