Facebook has a moderation system that blocks certain words and phrases from being posted or commented on the platform. This system is in place to try to keep Facebook a safe and respectful environment. However, sometimes words or phrases are blocked by mistake or users want more control over what they see on their feed. Luckily, there are ways for users to block additional words or unblock words that were mistakenly blocked by Facebook’s algorithm.
Understanding Facebook’s Moderation System
Facebook employs a mix of automated algorithms and human moderators to keep their platform safe. Some things they look out for include:
- Hate speech
- Harassment
- Nudity
- Violence
- Fake accounts
When posts contain words or phrases that are on Facebook’s moderation list for any of the above violations they may be removed. Sometimes this moderation is overzealous and blocks innocent uses of words.
Users themselves can also report posts that may violate Facebook’s rules. If enough users report the same post it will be sent to Facebook for additional review.
Why You May Want To Block Additional Words
There are a few key reasons you may want to block additional words on top of Facebook’s default moderation:
- Stop seeing unwanted or disturbing content – Block swear words, racial slurs, or other offensive language from appearing on your feed.
- Avoid spoilers – Block movie or TV show titles you haven’t seen yet or names of celebrities you want to avoid.
- Personal privacy – Block your address, phone number, or other personal info you don’t want shared publicly.
Blocking words can help you customize your Facebook experience and avoid things you don’t want to see.
How To Block Additional Words on Facebook
Facebook allows users to block additional words from comments and posts beyond their default moderation. Here is how to block words on Facebook:
- Go to your Facebook feed and click on the three horizontal dots in the upper right corner. Select “Settings”.
- In the left sidebar select “Blocking”.
- Under the “Block Users and Pages” section click “Edit Blocked Words”.
- Enter any words or phrases you want to block separated by commas. For example: spoilers, censor, address
- Click “Block Words” to save your blocked terms.
Once words are blocked any posts containing them will be hidden from your Facebook feed. You can edit your blocked words at any time.
Blocking Words on Facebook Mobile App
The process is very similar in the Facebook mobile app:
- Tap the three line menu icon in the bottom right corner.
- Go to “Settings & Privacy” then select “Settings”.
- Tap “Blocking” then “Block Words”.
- Enter any words to block separated by commas.
- Tap “Block Words” to save.
Now those terms will be blocked from your mobile Facebook feed.
Unblocking Wrongly Moderated Words
Sometimes Facebook’s moderation algorithms get it wrong and block innocent uses of words or phrases. When you notice a word has been wrongly blocked, you can request Facebook unblock it by following these steps:
- Click the three dots icon next to a post that was removed.
- Select “Give Feedback on This Post”.
- Choose “This post should not have been taken down” and click Next.
- Select “It looks like this was removed by mistake. Please review this.”
- Submit your feedback.
Facebook will then review that word or phrase and if they agree it was wrongly blocked, they will remove it from the moderation filter.
Appealing Blocked Content
If you believe your own post or comment was wrongly blocked you can similarly appeal the decision:
- Click the notification you received about the content being blocked.
- Select “Request Review”.
- Choose a reason you feel it should not have been blocked.
- Click “Submit” to request an appeal.
This will trigger a human review by Facebook’s moderation team. If they determine your post did not actually violate their policies it will be restored.
Important Considerations When Blocking Words on Facebook
When making use of Facebook’s word blocking features keep a few things in mind:
- Blocking words is not a privacy guarantee – Blocked content could still be seen through shares or screenshots.
- Other users will not have the same blocked words as you.
- Don’t over-block innocent terms – This can make your feed confusing.
- Remember Facebook can still see blocked content.
- Blocking is not a replacement for reporting harassment or threats.
Blocking words can be a useful tool but has its limitations. Use it carefully and reasonably.
Conclusion
Facebook employs a mix of human reviewers and AI algorithms to moderate their platform. Sometimes this moderation is overbroad and blocks innocent uses of words. If you want to customize the content on your Facebook feed you can make use of the word blocking tool.
Simply go to your Settings, select Blocking, then enter any terms you want filtered from your feed. This will remove posts containing those words. If you notice any wrongly blocked content, make sure to use the feedback and appeals process so Facebook can improve their systems. Blocking words can help you control your Facebook experience but does not prevent other users from seeing content or guarantee full privacy.