Whether someone can see a custom story you create on Facebook depends on the privacy settings you select for that story. When creating a custom story, you have the option to share it publicly, with friends, or with a custom audience. The visibility settings you choose determine who is able to view the story.
What is a Custom Story on Facebook?
A custom story on Facebook allows you to combine multiple photos and videos into one cohesive story. You can customize the look and feel by adding text, drawings, stickers, interactive polls, questions, locations, hashtags, and more.
Custom stories are different from regular posts because they allow you to string multiple pieces of content together and make them more visually engaging. Regular posts on your timeline are individual pieces of content.
Custom Story Privacy Settings
When you create a custom story on Facebook, you will see privacy setting options to control who can view it:
Public
Choosing the “Public” setting means anyone on or off Facebook can see your custom story. It will appear on your public profile and can show up in searches on Facebook. Public is the least private option.
Friends
The “Friends” setting shares your custom story only with people who are connected to you as friends on Facebook. Friends of friends will not be able to see it. This prevents the story from being visible to the general public.
Custom Audience
Selecting “Custom” allows you to precisely pick who can view your story. You can choose specific friends, friend lists, or groups. This is the most private option since you hand select the audience. The story will not appear on your public profile.
Changing the Audience After Posting
The initial privacy settings apply only to the original moment of posting. You can change the audience for a published custom story at any time:
- Click the three dots in the top right corner of the story post.
- Select “Edit Story”.
- Click “Edit Settings”.
- Choose a new privacy setting.
Updating the visibility after posting allows you flexibility if you change your mind about who should be able to view the content.
Checking Current Privacy Settings
To check the current privacy settings on an existing custom story:
- Click the three dots in the top right corner of the story post.
- Select “Edit Story”.
- Look under “Privacy – Who can see this?” to view the current setting.
This allows you to audit the visibility at any time.
Story Visibility on Your Profile
Where your custom story shows up on your own Facebook profile depends on the privacy setting:
- Public – Appears on your public timeline
- Friends – Only visible to you on your own profile
- Custom – Only visible to you on your own profile
So if you select Friends or Custom, the story itself will not display on your own public profile. But you will still be able to see it when logged into your Facebook account.
Checking Who Viewed Your Story
Facebook provides metrics on who has viewed your stories:
- In the Facebook app, tap on the Stories section.
- Tap on your own story thumbnail to open it.
- Swipe up on the story.
- Tap “Viewers” to see the list of who has seen that story.
This viewer list shows you exactly which friends or followers have viewed the story, including custom stories.
Controlling Story Replies and Shares
When customizing the audience for a story, you can also disable public commenting and sharing:
- Turn off commenting ability for broader audience
- Disable public reshares to control story amplification
This gives you full control over who can view the story as well as interact with it.
Solutions for Unwanted Story Visibility
If someone outside the intended audience sees your custom story, here are some troubleshooting tips:
Update Privacy Settings
First, edit the privacy settings on the story itself to restrict visibility as needed going forward. Refer to the instructions provided earlier for adjusting the audience.
Report Content
If the story was visible to someone it should not have been, you can report the content to Facebook:
- Click the three dots in the top right corner of the story post.
- Select “Report”.
- Choose “violates my privacy” as the complaint reason.
Reporting will prompt Facebook to investigate the visibility issue.
Block Person
If a specific person was able to view your custom story and should not have, you can proactively block them:
- Go to their Facebook profile.
- Click the three dots next to Add Friend.
- Select “Block”.
This will prevent them from viewing your future stories or posts.
Third-Party Access
Keep in mind that anyone who you directly share content with may screenshot or screen record your custom story. So even if you limit visibility, recipients could capture the content and reshare without your knowledge.
The same goes for syncing Facebook with other apps. Connected services may be able to access your stories depending on your approved permissions.
This is the nature of digital sharing – once content is viewed, the viewer has some control over it.
Facebook Stories vs Instagram Stories
It’s important to note that Facebook story privacy works separately from Instagram stories. Your Instagram followers will not see your Facebook stories unless you proactively cross-post.
The platforms handle stories differently:
| Friends, custom audience | Followers only |
| Change audience anytime | Audience is set once posted |
| Story drafts | Posts immediately |
So you have more flexibility with Facebook stories to tweak visibility before and after publishing. Instagram has a more locked in approach.
Private Profiles
If your underlying Facebook profile is private rather than public, your custom stories will automatically only be visible to confirmed friends regardless of the story privacy setting. This provides an extra layer of control for highly sensitive accounts.
Facebook Groups
The privacy dynamics change when posting stories within a Facebook group rather than on your personal profile:
- Visible to any group members by default
- Adjustable to subgroups if created by admin
- Follows group rules and moderator oversight
So the audience scope widens to the full group membership unless segmented subgroups exist.
Privacy Concerns
Facebook has faced scrutiny over its handling of private data, especially around stories:
- News Feed algorithm concerns
- Facial recognition criticisms
- Ad targeting debates
While the platform gives you visibility settings, many wonder how private stories really are. Facebook’s interests may not always align with users.
Best Practices for Privacy
To maximize privacy for sensitive stories on Facebook:
- Customize the audience to trusted connections only
- Avoid broadly public settings
- Turn off comments and reshares
- Use Stories rather than main News Feed
- Leverage blocking and reporting tools
Proactively managing your story privacy is key, rather than relying on Facebook’s defaults.
Conclusion
Facebook provides story authors flexibility in controlling who can view their content, both initially and after publishing. Custom stories allow selecting a specific audience rather than just friends or public. Checking visibility settings and viewer lists gives insight into who has accessed stories. Overall privacy depends on the user proactively leveraging available options, being cautious about resharing abilities, and understanding Facebook’s motivations as a platform. Concerns remain about Facebook’s interests versus users’ interests regarding data on the platform.