Facebook provides users with the ability to report content that violates its Community Standards. When you report something on Facebook, your identity is kept anonymous from the person who posted the content you are reporting. However, Facebook does have access to your identity when you file a report. So reporting content on Facebook is anonymous to the poster, but not to Facebook itself.
Can the person whose post I reported see my name or profile?
No, when you report a post, comment, photo, video, page, profile, or message on Facebook, the person who originally posted that content will not be able to see your name or any information about you. Your report is sent to Facebook anonymously as far as the poster is concerned.
Facebook’s Help Center states: “Reporting something as fake news or hate speech is anonymous. The person who posted it will not know you reported it.” This policy applies to reporting any violating content on Facebook.
So you can rest assured that when you use Facebook’s reporting tools, your personal information and identity are shielded from the person whose content you are reporting. Facebook keeps reports anonymous to encourage people to report inappropriate content and help enforce its guidelines.
What information does Facebook see when I report something?
While the report is anonymous to the poster, Facebook itself can see identifying information about the person submitting the report. According to Facebook, “The information you provide helps us investigate and take appropriate action.”
Specifically, Facebook’s systems record the following information when you report something:
- Your name, Facebook ID, email address, and any other information from your Facebook account
- The content you are reporting
- The reason you selected for reporting the content
- Any additional details you provide in the reporting form
Facebook needs this information to properly investigate reports and take action when its rules are violated. So while Facebook won’t share your identity with the person you reported, it does have records of who submitted the report.
Does Facebook ever reveal my identity from a report?
In most cases, no. Facebook has policies in place to keep your reporting anonymous:
- Facebook says it removes identifying information about the person who reported before sharing it with the content creator.
- Facebook typically won’t share a reporter’s identity with someone whose content was taken down.
- If law enforcement requests information on a report as part of an official investigation, Facebook may then provide identifying details.
However, there are certain rare cases where Facebook may disclose your information from a report, such as if disclosure could prevent harm. Facebook’s Data Policy states it may share reporter information if:
- Disclosure would benefit the security and operations of Facebook’s platforms
- Disclosure is necessary to prevent imminent bodily harm or financial loss
- Disclosure is related to the reporting of illegal content or activity
In practice, Facebook says it discloses identifying information on less than 0.5% of reports after careful review. But these disclosures can happen in extreme cases involving threats, self-harm, child exploitation, or other serious abuses.
Can other Facebook users see I’ve reported something?
No, your Facebook friends and other users will not be notified or see that you have reported something on the platform. Reporting content does not share any update to your profile or activity log. It is completely anonymous to other users.
The only way your friends might know you reported something is if you personally told them. But Facebook does not proactively notify anyone when you file a report.
What if I report from a fake or secondary account?
Using a secondary or fake Facebook account does not make reporting any more anonymous to Facebook itself. Facebook’s systems still record the same identifying details from that account when it is used to report violating content.
Facebook does advise only using your real account tied to your actual identity to report content, as fake accounts violate its Terms of Service. And trying to increase anonymity by using an alternative account may cause Facebook to distrust the validity of your reports.
The bottom line is that Facebook still sees your account information even if you report from a fake profile. So it is best to report from your real account to have the greatest impact.
Can I submit anonymous feedback to Facebook?
Facebook does provide certain channels where you can share completely anonymous feedback about its platforms and services.
On many Facebook pages and in its mobile apps, you will see a “Give Feedback” option. Clicking this allows you to share suggestions, complaints, or other input without attaching your name.
You can also use Facebook’s “Confidential Mode” for Oculus devices to anonymously report issues. And Facebook occasionally runs surveys where it collects anonymous responses.
However, these feedback options are different from reporting content, which always ties your identity to the report to assist Facebook’s investigation.
What tools does Facebook offer for anonymous reporting?
Facebook provides several tools for reporting violating content while keeping your identity anonymous from the poster:
- Report post: Use the dropdown menu on a post to report to Facebook while remaining anonymous to the poster.
- Report comment: Click the “X” icon on a comment and select Report to file an anonymous report.
- Report profile: Use the three-dot menu on a profile and select Report to anonymously report that account.
- Report message: Open the message thread, click details, and select Report to file a confidential report.
- Report Live video: Click the more button on a live stream and select Report to anonymously report questionable streaming content.
These options allow reporting right from the place where you encounter violating content. And your identity will always remain confidential from the poster themselves.
What happens when I report something?
When you report content on Facebook using its anonymous reporting tools, here is a general overview of what happens:
- Your report is received by Facebook and recorded along with details on the content being reported.
- Facebook’s Community Operations team reviews the reported content to determine if it violates standards.
- If the content violates a policy, Facebook takes appropriate action such as removing the content, disabling the account, or covering the photo/video.
- In some cases, Facebook may determine no violation occurred and the content can remain. Reporting does not guarantee removal.
- Throughout the process, the poster remains unaware of who reported their content. Your information remains confidential.
Facebook uses reports to improve safety and security across its platforms. Reporting content you find concerning is an important civic responsibility, and Facebook makes it possible to do so discreetly.
Does Facebook notify you after taking action on a report?
In most cases, Facebook will not notify you after taking action on content you report. The process is designed to be anonymous in both directions.
However, Facebook may send a notification if executable action was taken against a specific piece of content you reported. For example, you may get a notice saying:
- “The photo you reported has been removed.”
- “The profile you reported was disabled due to Community Standards violations.”
These notifications simply confirm to you that your report led to concrete results. But Facebook still will not reveal your identity to the poster.
What if I’m being harassed or threatened?
If someone is harassing, threatening, or bullying you on Facebook, you can report them anonymously using the tools above. However, you also have additional options if you feel unsafe:
- File a private report to Facebook detailing the threats and harassment for rapid specialist review.
- Disable or block the person harassing you using Facebook’s blocking tools.
- Document threats and report to local law enforcement to potentially involve them.
Your safety is the top priority. While standard reporting is anonymous, Facebook may be willing to identify harassers directly to law enforcement to prevent harm.
What about reporting criminal activity?
If you encounter posts, messages, or other content on Facebook related to criminal acts, you should report it both to Facebook and directly to the appropriate law enforcement authorities:
- Use Facebook’s tools to anonymously report any violating criminal content.
- Contact your local police department or the FBI to report criminal activity. Provide screenshots or archives.
- Facebook may provide information to law enforcement with appropriate legal process.
Reporting criminal content anonymously on Facebook helps remove it from public view. But involving law enforcement directly can also produce arrests and charges as appropriate.
Does Facebook offer anonymous support resources?
If you are struggling with personal issues, mental health, or emotional distress, Facebook provides anonymous support options that allow you to get help without revealing your identity.
Options include:
- Crisis helplines: National crisis hotline numbers are available on Facebook to call or text anonymously.
- Support groups: Join one of Facebook’s many anonymous support groups around mental health, relationships, disabilities, and more.
- Confidential helpers: Reach out directly to trained helpers who provide anonymous support over Messenger.
Seeking help and guidance anonymously on Facebook can be an important first step before getting formal treatment or counseling for issues you may be struggling with.
Conclusion
Reporting content violations on Facebook is designed to be anonymous for your protection. While Facebook records details on the report and reporter, it shields that information from the person whose content was reported.
Anonymity encourages people to report concerning posts, photos, videos, accounts, and other content that may violate Facebook’s rules. This allows Facebook to take appropriate action, ranging from removing content to disabling accounts when necessary to enforce community standards.
However, Facebook may reveal your identity in rare cases that involve imminent real-world harm, criminal acts, legal requirements, or other serious abuse scenarios. Under normal circumstances though, your report remains anonymous to the poster and public.
Facebook’s anonymous reporting tools provide an important means for restricting hate speech, misinformation, harassment, and other harmful content. Maintaining confidentiality allows users to discreetly alert Facebook to material that may violate its policies and terms.