Finding trash posts on Facebook can be challenging, as the News Feed algorithm surfaces content based on many factors. However, there are some ways to seek out lower-quality or spammy posts if you wish to clean up your feed.
Use the News Feed Preferences
The easiest way is to use Facebook’s own News Feed Preferences settings. Here you can prioritize posts from close friends and family, and deprioritize content from pages and groups. This will filter out a lot of spammy posts from pages you may have Liked a long time ago.
To access News Feed Preferences on desktop:
- Click the arrow in the top right corner and select “News Feed Preferences”
- Drag the slider next to “Friends” to the right to prioritize their posts
- Drag the sliders next to “Pages” and “Groups” to the left to deprioritize their posts
On mobile:
- Tap the three horizontal lines menu icon in the bottom right
- Tap “News Feed Preferences”
- Drag the slider next to “Friends” to the right to prioritize their posts
- Drag the sliders next to “Pages” and “Groups” to the left to deprioritize their posts
Adjust these settings until you get a good balance of posts from friends alongside some page/group content you want to keep up with.
Unlike or Unfollow Pages and Groups
Another way to reduce trashy posts is to be more selective with the pages and groups you interact with. Unlike or unfollow any pages that consistently post clickbait, spam, or other low-value content.
To unlike a page on desktop:
- Go to the page and click “Liked”
- Click “Unlike Page” to remove it from your likes
On mobile:
- Go to the page and tap the “Liked” button
- Tap “Unlike Page” to remove it
To unfollow a group on desktop:
- Go to the group and click “Joined”
- Click “Leave Group” to unfollow it
On mobile:
- Go to the group and tap the “Joined” button
- Tap “Leave Group” to unfollow it
Be systematic about cleaning up your likes and group follows to weed out low-quality pages.
Clean Up Your Friends List
Review your own friends list and unfriend or unfollow anyone who frequently posts spammy material. While you may not want to unfriend good friends who occasionally share dubious content, removing friends who post trash material extensively can significantly clean up your feed.
To unfriend someone on desktop:
- Go to their profile and click “Friends”
- Click “Unfriend” to remove them from your friends
On mobile:
- Go to their profile and tap “Friends”
- Tap “Unfriend” to remove them
To unfollow someone on desktop:
- Go to their profile and click “Friends”
- Click “Unfollow” to stop seeing their posts
On mobile:
- Go to their profile and tap the “Following” button
- Tap “Unfollow” to stop seeing their posts
Be choosy about who you connect with to control the content that enters your feed.
Use Filters to Target Specific Content
Facebook’s filters allow you to screen out posts containing specific words, phrases, or media. You can use these filters to automatically hide trashy or spammy content from your News Feed.
To set up a filter on desktop:
- Click the arrow at the top right and select “News Feed Preferences”
- Scroll down and click “Filters”
- Enter the words, phrases, or media types you want to filter out
- Click “Save Changes”
On mobile:
- Tap the three lines menu icon and tap “News Feed Preferences”
- Scroll down and tap “Filters”
- Enter the words, phrases or media types you want to filter out
- Tap “Save Changes”
Filter out clickbait phrases, spammy links, and other content you don’t want polluting your News Feed.
Report Trashy Content to Facebook
When you come across an individual post that is clearly spam, hate speech, a scam, or otherwise violates Facebook’s policies, you can report it to Facebook.
To report a post on desktop:
- Click the three dots at the top right of the post
- Select “Report post” or the specific policy violation
On mobile:
- Tap the three dots at the top right of the post
- Tap “Report post” or the specific policy violation
Consistently reporting trashy content trains Facebook’s algorithms to recognize those posts as lower quality so they appear less frequently for you and others.
Use Third-Party Filters
There are browser extensions and apps you can use to filter Facebook posts automatically based on keywords, senders, links, and more criteria. This lets you customize filters beyond what Facebook provides.
Some recommended third-party Facebook filters include:
- Social Fixer
- F.B. Purity
- News Feed Eradicator
Research different options to find one with filters tailored to your specific trash post concerns.
Limit Your Time on Facebook
The simplest way to reduce exposure to trash posts is to spend less time scrolling through your News Feed. Set a timer when browsing Facebook or check it just a few times per day.
You can also disable notifications from the Facebook app to reduce distractions pulling you back onto the network.
On desktop:
- Click the arrow in the top right and select “Settings & Privacy”
- Click “Settings”
- Click “Notifications” on the left
- Toggle off any notifications you don’t need
On mobile:
- Tap the three lines menu icon and select “Settings & Privacy”
- Tap “Settings”
- Tap “Notifications”
- Toggle off any notifications you don’t need
Check Facebook on your own terms to avoid getting sucked into the endless News Feed scroll.
Use Separate Accounts for Personal and Professional Connections
If you use Facebook both for personal connections and professional networking, it may be wise to separate them into two accounts. Your personal account can have more selective friends and feeds filtered to your interests, while your professional account maintains a wider network.
To create a separate Facebook account:
- Go to www.facebook.com and click “Create New Account”
- Enter your name, email, birthday and gender to sign up
- Do not add personal friends or followers to this professional account
Log in and out of each account based on your needs at the time to better control the content you see.
Conclusion
Cleaning up trash posts on Facebook requires being proactive. Adjust settings like News Feed Preferences and filters to refine what enters your feed. Be selective about likes, groups and friends. Use third-party filters, limit time on the network, report trashy content, and consider separate accounts. With consistent effort, you can enjoy Facebook while avoiding a flood of spammy posts.