There are a few reasons why you may need to report a Facebook account. The main reasons are:
- The account is fake or impersonating someone else
- The account holder is harassing, bullying or spamming you or others
- The account posts offensive, abusive or illegal content
Reporting a Facebook account is easy to do, but before doing so, make sure the account is actually violating Facebook’s Community Standards. False or frivolous reporting can get your account disabled.
Here are the steps to properly report a Facebook account:
Find the Profile of the Account You Want to Report
First, you need to locate the profile of the account you want to report. There are a couple ways to do this:
- If you received a message, comment or post from the account, go to it and click on the username or profile picture to access the profile page.
- Or you can search for the username in the Facebook search bar at the top. Type the username and click on the account when it shows up in results.
Once you are on the profile page of the account, you can report it to Facebook.
Click on the Three Dots Menu
On the upper right of the profile, you will see three small dots. Click on the dots to open up a menu.
The menu provides options for interacting with the profile. Click on “Find Support or Report Profile” in the menu.
Select Report Account
This will open up a reporting window. The first option will be “Report Account”. Click on this to report the entire account to Facebook.
Choose a Reporting Reason
Facebook will now ask you why you are reporting the account. Select the option that best describes the issue:
- Fake account
- Pretending to be someone else
- Under the age required by Facebook
- Bullying or harassment
- Hate speech or symbols
- Nudity or sexual activity
- Scam or fraud
- Unauthorized sales of regulated goods
- Something else
Choose the option that fits the account activity most closely. This will help Facebook investigate properly.
Provide Additional Details
On this page, Facebook will allow you to write additional details about why you are reporting the account. Provide as many specifics as possible here about the account’s behavior, content posted, or violations.
Be detailed and accurate in your report. For example, instead of just selecting “harassment”, write about the types of harassing messages you received from the account and when. Providing links to examples of abusive posts can also help Facebook confirm the violations.
The more details you can give, the better able Facebook will be to take proper enforcement action against the account if needed.
Click Submit
Once you have filled out all the reporting details, click the “Submit” button at the bottom to send your report to Facebook.
You will get a confirmation the report was submitted. Facebook also may send a follow up email about the status of your report.
What Happens After Submitting a Report
After you submit a report, here is what generally happens:
- Facebook reviews the report to determine if it violates their Community Standards.
- If it does violate standards, Facebook may delete individual pieces of content, disable certain account functions, or completely disable the account.
- If the account is disabled, the owner will not be able to access it or make a new account.
- For privacy reasons, you will not get details about enforcement actions taken against the reported account.
- If Facebook finds the account does not violate standards, no action will be taken.
Keep in mind Facebook does not notify users when action is taken against their account. The account may simply disappear if it gets disabled.
Also, submitting more than one report about the same account will not make Facebook respond faster. One detailed report is enough for them to investigate.
Other Ways to Report Problematic Content
In addition to reporting full accounts, you can also report specific content posted from an account:
Report a Post
- Click the three dots above the post and select “Find Support or Report Post”
- Choose reason for reporting the post
- Provide details on why it is problematic
- Submit report
Report a Photo
- Click the three dots in the upper right of the photo and select “Find Support or Report Photo”
- Select reason for reporting
- Give additional details about the violation
- Submit report
Report a Message
- Open the message thread
- Click on the message you want to report
- Select “Find Support or Report Message”
- Choose a reporting reason
- Explain why you are reporting the message
- Submit the report
Reporting specific pieces of bad content can help address issues without necessarily disabling the entire account, if it was a one-time violation. But serious or repeat offenders may still have their accounts disabled.
Get Support if You Are Being Harassed
If another account is harassing, threatening or bullying you, make sure to report each piece of content where they target you. Document everything and submit multiple reports if the harassment continues.
Also use the privacy settings on your account to block the harassing account. This prevents them from interacting with you further on Facebook.
If the bullying and harassment moves from Facebook to other places online or offline, you may need to involve legal authorities. Do not hesitate to contact police if you ever feel physically threatened.
You can also contact a suicide hotline or other mental health resources if you are being severely harassed, especially if the attacker is trying to coerce or exploit you in any way. Talking to someone can help take the pain out of the experience.
Do not suffer alone – get support and take actions to stop cyberbullying.
Why You Should Not Report Accounts You Simply Dislike
It can be tempting to report an account you disagree with politically, have personal issues with, or simply dislike. However, avoid abusing the report system in this way.
Facebook specifically states false reporting can get your account disabled. Only report accounts for clear violations of community standards, not just because you do not like the account holder.
Also, keep in mind these key points:
- Having opposing political views from an account is not a valid reason to report them.
- Simply unfollowing or blocking accounts you disagree with prevents seeing their content.
- Debating and engaging with people of different views is healthy, not a reason to report them.
- Disputes between family or friends should be resolved through communication, not reporting.
The Facebook reporting tool should be used responsibly to address accounts actually causing harm or spreading dangerous misinformation. It is not meant to silence viewpoints you simply do not like.
What to Do If Your Account is Disabled from False Reporting
If your Facebook account gets disabled because someone falsely reported you, here are some steps to take:
- Fill out the Facebook account disable appeal form and explain you believe the reports were false or mistakes.
- Emphasize you have not violated Facebook’s rules and your account was likely targeted for abuse reporting by trolls.
- Provide any evidence you have of people conspiring to mass report you or making threats to get you banned.
- Ask friends who know your account to submit appeals explaining you have done nothing wrong.
Multiple appeals explaining the disable was in error can help Facebook investigate the bad reports and hopefully reinstate your account. Be patient as it may take some time.
Unfortunately, there is no guarantee Facebook will restore an account. But politely appealing with evidence of false reporting is your best chance at recovery. And in the future, be more careful about stirring up online mobs that might try to silence you through mass reporting.
Conclusion
Reporting Facebook accounts appropriately helps make the platform safer by removing fake profiles, bullying, illegal activities, and other clearly abusive behaviors. However, avoid false reporting just because you disagree with an account’s opinions or content.
When faced with an account violating Facebook’s rules or harassing you, document the offenses thoroughly, choose the right reporting reason, provide detailed examples, and submit your report. This gives Facebook the information needed to take proper enforcement actions. With responsibility and good judgement, the reporting tool can help address real harm while allowing free expression.