Facebook’s “On This Day” or “Memories” feature shows users reminders of their old posts and photos from previous years on that same day. This can resurface happy memories from the past, but also potentially embarrassing or sensitive content. With over 2 billion monthly active users, Facebook holds a massive trove of personal photos, posts, and data for billions of people worldwide. This has led some users to wonder – does Facebook automatically show all of your old memories? Or do they curate what they show you? Let’s take a closer look at how Facebook’s “Memories” feature works.
What Are Facebook Memories?
The “Memories” or “On This Day” feature shows reminders of the user’s Facebook activity from previous years on the same day. This includes old posts, photos, videos, and other interactions that happened on that date in history.
For example, if a user posted a photo on October 10, 2015, they may see that photo resurface as a Memory on October 10, 2022. Tapping on the Memory will expand it to show the original post.
Facebook Memories aim to show users reminders of meaningful moments from the past. They appear in the user’s News Feed alongside recent posts from friends and Pages.
When Did Facebook Introduce Memories?
Facebook first began testing the “On This Day” feature in 2014. It launched widely the following year, in 2015.
Initially called “On This Day,” the feature was rebranded to “Memories” in 2017. Other than the name change, it continues to work the same way – resurfacing users’ old posts from previous years.
Over time, Facebook has updated Memories to showcase more photos, milestone events, and multimedia content beyond just text posts. But the core functionality remains unchanged since its launch.
How Does Facebook Choose Which Memories to Show?
Facebook does apply some curation in deciding which Memories to show users. They do not simply show all possible Memories from a given date.
According to Facebook, their algorithm looks for Memories that are:
- Photos users are tagged in, since these are likely more meaningful
- Posts with lots of Likes or comments, as they generated more engagement
- Major milestones like weddings, birthdays, graduations
Conversely, Facebook’s algorithm aims to avoid potentially sensitive Memories such as:
- Breakups or other negative life events
- Photos or posts users may now find embarrassing
- Content that got few Likes or comments originally
Essentially, Facebook wants to show you your greatest hits – things you’d enjoy reminiscing about. Not forgotten flops or expired content.
How to Edit or Hide Memories
If certain Memories are unflattering, embarrassing, or better left in the past, users do have some options.
When a Memory appears in your News Feed, click the three dots icon in the top right corner. Here you can:
- Hide the memory so it doesn’t resurface again
- Edit the date if it’s wrong
- Turn off Memories completely for a short time
Alternatively, visit your Facebook Activity Log and manage Memories there. You can delete individual posts so they don’t appear as future Memories.
Users cannot mass delete or permanently opt out of Memories. But individually hiding or removing unwanted posts gives some control.
Do Deleted Posts Show as Memories?
If you completely delete a post from Facebook, it should not resurface as a Memory later on. The post no longer exists in your account history, so there’s nothing for Facebook to showcase.
However, if you simply hid a post from your timeline, without deleting it, it may still appear as a Memory. Hiding only prevents it showing on your profile – the underlying content still exists in your account.
So for absolute certainty, actively delete old posts rather than just hiding them. This erases them from your account history so they cannot become Memories.
Controlling Memories on Mobile vs Desktop
Managing Memories works the same whether you use the Facebook mobile app or desktop website:
- Tap the three dots or click the arrow on any Memory to hide, edit date, or turn off
- Visit your Activity Log to manage individual posts
- Deleted posts don’t become Memories; hidden posts still can
The user interface looks a bit different on mobile and desktop, but the available controls are fundamentally the same.
It’s also just as difficult to do a complete, permanent opt-out of Memories on mobile or desktop. Some management of individual posts is possible, but not disabling the feature entirely.
Do Deactivated or Suspended Accounts Show Memories?
If your Facebook account is currently deactivated, suspended, or banned, you will not see Memories. These account states disable all functionality.
However, if you reactivated your account later, Memories may resume showing based on your historic posts and activity. Unless you permanently deleted your account and history, the underlying content exists to generate Memories.
Conclusion
Facebook Memories aim to resurface users’ old “greatest hits” – highly-engaged posts from the past. Facebook does apply algorithmic curation to avoid potentially embarrassing or irrelevant content.
While users cannot disable Memories entirely, they can:
- Hide or delete individual posts so they won’t reappear as future Memories
- Temporarily turn off Memories for a short time
Ongoing algorithm improvements may make Memories more precise and personalized over time. But ultimately, with billions of users, Facebook has to strike a balance between nostalgia and privacy. Their automated algorithms cannot be perfectly customized for each individual user’s preferences. Some compromise and occasional unwanted Memories are likely unavoidable. Hand-picking personalized Memories for every user would be unscalable.
In summary, Facebook does not simply show all possible Memories indiscriminately. But neither do they perfectly customize it to each user’s wishes. Their algorithm attempts to surface your greatest hits from the past – but it’s not guaranteed to be perfect every time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you permanently disable Facebook Memories?
No, there is no setting to permanently disable Memories for your account. You can temporarily pause them for a short time, or remove individual posts that you don’t want to resurface. But there is no blanket opt-out.
Do deleted Facebook posts show up as Memories?
No, completely deleted posts do not appear as Memories. However, merely hiding a post does not prevent it from resurfacing as a Memory.
Can you delete Memories on the mobile app?
Yes, managing Memories works similarly on mobile and desktop. Tap the three dots on any Memory for options to hide, edit, or temporarily turn them off.
Do all past posts eventually show up as Memories?
No, Facebook’s algorithm aims to highlight your most meaningful and engaging past content. Posts with fewer Likes and comments are less likely to appear as Memories years later.
Can someone else see your Facebook Memories?
No, your Memories are only visible to you. No one else sees the blast-from-the-past content that appears in your own News Feed.
The Growth of Facebook Memories Over Time (Table)
| Year | Total Facebook Users | Memories Feature? |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 500 million | No |
| 2014 | 1.3 billion | Yes (launched) |
| 2020 | 2.6 billion | Yes |
As shown in the table above, Facebook Memories launched in 2014 when Facebook had around 1.3 billion users. By 2020, with over 2.6 billion users, the Memories feature was reaching far more people worldwide. Facebook’s user base and amount of personal content available for resurfacing as Memories has ballooned over time.
The Pros and Cons of Facebook Memories
Facebook Memories can provide nostalgia and highlights of meaningful moments from your past. But some users understandably have privacy concerns about resurfacing old content. Here are some potential pros and cons:
Pros
- Enjoy nostalgic throwbacks to happy times
- Rediscover forgotten photos and interactions
- Feature shows your most liked/engaged posts, not flops
- Algorithm avoids sensitive content around breakups, etc.
Cons
- Could resurface embarrassing/cringe-worthy old content
- Limited controls to permanently opt-out entirely
- No way to hand-pick which individual memories you want to see
- Mistakes possible with automated algorithm curation
Balancing these pros and cons is tricky with over 2 billion diverse users. Overall, Facebook aims to showcase your greatest hits, not misfires. But imperfections in its automated algorithm are probably unavoidable at its vast scale.
How Facebook’s Algorithm Curates Your News Feed as Well as Memories
Facebook’s algorithm similarly curates both your News Feed and your Memories. The principles behind what content the algorithm favors are similar in both cases:
News Feed Algorithm Favors:
- Posts with lots of Likes, comments, and shares
- Content from closer friends and family over acquaintances
- Shorter, eye-catching videos and images
- Posts that get lots of engagement shortly after posting
Memories Algorithm Favors:
- Throwback posts with the most Likes and comments
- Major milestones like weddings, births, graduations
- Older photos users are tagged in by friends
- Content widely shared across friends’ timelines historically
For both feeds, Facebook tracks millions of behavioral signals to predict the content you’d most appreciate and engage with. There are some differences given the different nature of current News Feed vs. nostalgic Memories. But the philosophy of highlighting your greatest hits remains similar.
Of course, no algorithm can be 100% personalized or perfect. But Facebook is constantly working to improve both recommendation systems and strike that balance between nostalgia and privacy.
How Other Social Networks Handle Resurfacing Old Posts
Other social networks take different approaches to resurfacing users’ older content:
Twitter “On This Day” Tweets
Similar to Facebook’s Memories, Twitter’s “On This Day” feature resurfaces historical tweets on their anniversary. Users can delete tweets or turn off the setting if desired.
Instagram Memories
Instagram also has Memories, but they are user-generated stories based on their own old content. Instagram doesn’t automatically surface old posts like Facebook does.
Snapchat Memories
Snapchat Memories allow users to selectively save old Snaps and Stories to their camera roll before they disappear. Users choose exactly which memories to preserve.
TikTok
TikTok has no equivalent feature resurfacing users’ own older videos as memories. Its focus is on viewing fresh content in real-time.
So in summary, Twitter most closely mimics Facebook’s Memories feature. Instagram and TikTok avoid this approach entirely. Snapchat occupies a middle ground – old Snaps can be saved as Memories, but only manually chosen ones.
Conclusion
Facebook Memories aim to strike a balance between nostalgia and privacy across billions of diverse users. The automated algorithm cannot be perfectly tailored for each individual user. But broad patterns emerge in the types of Memories people enjoy versus those they may find irrelevant or unflattering years later.
While Facebook Memories lack granular opt-out settings, users can hide or delete individual posts they don’t want resurfacing as memories later on. Featuring your most engaging and widely-shared throwback content generally aligns with Facebook’s goals of driving interaction and engagement in the News Feed.
In moderation, Memories can provide pleasant blasts from the past for many users. At the same time, other social networks have moved away from automatically resurfacing old content in this fashion. Facebook must tread carefully to avoid veering too far into the territory of intrusive rather than nostalgic as automated algorithms mine our digital histories for engaging throwback content.