In the opening paragraph, it’s important to provide a quick answer to the main question being asked. For this article, the quick answer is: Yes, non-Facebook users are able to see public posts made by Facebook users as long as the post has been shared publicly and has not been restricted only to the poster’s friends or a specific group. Facebook’s default privacy setting for posts is public, so most content shared on Facebook can be viewed by non-users.
What constitutes a public post on Facebook?
A public post on Facebook refers to any content that has been shared without privacy restrictions. This includes:
- Status updates posted to a user’s timeline with the default public setting
- Photos and videos shared publicly on a user’s timeline or Facebook page
- Public comments on public posts
- Check-ins and location shares made publicly
- Public posts in Facebook groups and events
Essentially, any post that a user shares without limiting the audience to specific friends, lists or groups is considered public by default. Public posts can be viewed, shared and engaged with by anyone on or off Facebook.
Who can see public Facebook posts?
Public Facebook posts are visible to:
- All Facebook users
- Non-Facebook users who come across public posts via shares or Google searches
- Facebook page admins and moderators
- Facebook advertisers (for ads relevance and targeting)
- Facebook employees (for monitoring and analytics)
So unless a post has been specifically restricted to a smaller audience, it is considered viewable by the general public, including people without Facebook accounts.
How can non-users see public Facebook content?
There are a few ways non-Facebook users can view public posts on the platform:
- Searching on Google – Public Facebook posts may show up in Google search results if relevant to the search query
- Shared links – Public posts can be shared outside of Facebook via email, messaging apps, blogs, etc
- Embedded public content – Public videos and photos can be embedded on external websites
- Viewing public profiles and pages – No login is required to view public profiles or Facebook Pages
- Screenshots – Friends can screenshot public posts and share with non-users
As long as a Facebook post has a public visibility setting, there are numerous ways for the content to be viewed by non-users even if they don’t have an account. Facebook’s API also allows public data to be accessed by external apps and services.
What type of public Facebook information is visible?
Non-Facebook users can see a variety of information if it’s publicly shared, including:
- Basic public profile info – profile photo, cover photo, bio, etc.
- Timeline posts and activity
- Photos and videos
- Comments and reactions on public posts
- Check-ins and location data from public posts
- Public posts in groups and events
- Shared links, news articles and status updates
However, they cannot see anything that’s shared only with a user’s friends list or limited through custom privacy settings. They also won’t have access to private messages, full friend lists, or personal contact information.
Can non-users interact with public Facebook content?
While non-Facebook users can view public posts, they have limited ability to interact with the content:
- Cannot like, comment on or react to public posts
- Cannot share public posts to their own timeline
- Cannot RSVP to public events
- Cannot join public groups or message group members
- No access to full-resolution photos/videos unless downloaded separately
Essentially, non-users are limited to just viewing public content in a read-only format – they cannot actively engage with it through Facebook without having an account and being logged in.
Best practices for managing public post visibility
Since non-users can view public Facebook posts, here are some best practices for managing visibility:
- Double check that privacy settings are appropriate for each post
- Be selective about what information you share publicly
- Use friend lists and custom settings to target posts only to certain connections
- Turn off location services if you don’t want check-ins to be public
- Avoid posting personal contact info or private details
- Remember that public content may show up in search engines and external sites
Using Facebook’s granular post, profile and timeline privacy controls can help limit your public exposure and visibility both on and off the platform.
Should businesses make Facebook posts public?
For businesses using Facebook for marketing, public visibility is usually recommended. Brands typically want to maximize reach and engagement on Facebook. Some benefits of public business posts include:
- Increased visibility – reach more potential customers
- Higher engagement – more reactions, comments and shares
- SEO value – can improve search engine ranking
- Brand awareness – exposes brand to non-users too
- Lead generation – helps drive traffic and conversions
However, businesses should still be thoughtful about what is shared publicly. Sensitive info, contact details, or overly promotional content should be limited to specific target audiences when appropriate.
Conclusion
Facebook’s default post privacy setting is public, allowing content to be viewed not just by users but anyone coming across it on Google, external sites, or shares. While non-users can see public profile info, posts, photos, videos and more – they cannot interact or engage with the content unless they have an account. Being mindful of what you share publicly can help manage visibility both on and off Facebook.