Facebook’s privacy settings allow users to control who can see their profile information and posts. One of the ways to limit access is by blocking other users. When you block someone on Facebook, they can no longer see things you post, tag you, invite you to events or groups, start conversations with you, or add you as a friend.
Can you block someone without them knowing?
Yes, when you block someone on Facebook, they are not notified. Facebook does not send any type of alert to let the blocked person know you have blocked them. So you can effectively block someone without them knowing.
Here are some key things to know about blocking someone on Facebook without them knowing:
- No notification is sent to the blocked person that you have blocked them.
- They will not be able to search for your Facebook profile or see any of your posts.
- Your name will no longer show up in their friend suggestions or “People You May Know” on Facebook.
- Any messages they send you will not go through.
- They will be removed as a follower and will not see any future posts you share publicly.
- If they visit your Facebook page, it will appear as if you either deleted your account or changed your username.
So once you block someone, from their perspective, you will just seem to disappear from Facebook without any explanation. They have no way to know they have been blocked.
How to block someone on Facebook
Here are step-by-step instructions for blocking another user on Facebook:
- Go to the profile page of the person you want to block.
- Click on the three dots icon in the upper right corner of their cover photo.
- Select “Block” from the dropdown menu.
- Confirm that you want to block the user by clicking “Block” again.
And that’s it! Once you click to confirm, the user will be blocked from interacting with you on Facebook. You can also block someone by going to your Settings, selecting Blocking, entering their name, and clicking Block.
What a blocked person can and can’t see
When you block someone on Facebook, here is exactly what they can and cannot see or do:
Can see
- Public posts and information you share with everyone
- Your public photos and videos
- Content you share in groups they are still a member of
- Mutual friends’ posts that tag you or mention you
Can’t see
- Your friends list and any friends-only content
- Posts you share with friends except acquaintances
- Your profile information and biography
- The ability to tag you or invite you to events/groups
- Start a conversation or send a friend request
- See things you post or share on your timeline
- Interact with you or see your name pop up anywhere on Facebook
Essentially, they will have an extremely limited view of your Facebook presence, if any at all. You are effectively invisible to them.
How blocking affects groups
If you and the blocked person are both members of the same Facebook groups, they will still be able to interact in those groups normally.
They will be able to:
- See your posts and comments within the group
- Mention you or tag you in group posts/comments
- Reply to things you post in the group
However, if you are an admin of a group they are in, you do have the ability to ban or remove them from the group after blocking them. This would prevent any further interaction in that group.
Can they tell if they are blocked?
In most cases, a blocked person will not be able to clearly tell they have been blocked. As mentioned above, when they visit your profile, it will appear as if you deleted your account or changed your username.
However, they may be able to infer they have been blocked if they notice:
- You disappearing from their friend suggestions and “People You May Know”
- Not being able to find you when searching your name
- Your name no longer shows up as liking or commenting on mutual friends’ posts
- Messages they send you are not being delivered
While not definite signs, if the person sees combinations of the above scenarios, they may conclude they have been blocked. But most people won’t think much of it if your name stops popping up in their Facebook experience after a while.
What happens when you unblock someone?
You can choose to reverse blocking someone on Facebook at any time. When you unblock someone:
- They will once again be able to search for and view your full profile
- Posts you share with friends or only yourself will become visible to them
- They will be able to send you messages, invite you to events/groups again
- Your name may start showing up in their “People You May Know” feeds
However, when you unblock someone, they are not notified in any way. There is no alert sent saying they have been unblocked. So it will not be obvious to them that your profile is visible to them again unless they proactively check.
Other Facebook blocking tips
Here are some additional pointers around blocking users on Facebook:
- You can block someone directly from a message thread by clicking the X icon next to their name and selecting Block.
- To view your full list of blocked users, go to Settings & Privacy > Blocking.
- Blocking someone on Messenger does not also block them from interacting with you on Facebook.
- You can prevent a blocked person from commenting on a public post of yours by turning on post moderation in Settings.
- Blocking someone may prevent tag notifications, but does not delete existing tags from Facebook.
Conclusion
Blocking someone on Facebook is an effective way to cut off their access to your profile and prevent further unwanted interactions. The key benefit is that no notification is sent when you block someone, so you can essentially block an account without the user knowing.
While blocked persons may still be able to see some of your public content, blocking eliminates most of your Facebook presence from their view. Just be cautious about interacting with any groups the blocked person is still a member of.
Overall, the blocking feature allows you to take control of your Facebook experience and limit contact from specific individuals without them being alerted that you blocked them.