Having your Facebook page restricted can be frustrating and concerning. Your page may have been restricted for violating Facebook’s Community Standards or for suspicious activity. The good news is that in many cases, you can take steps to get your page back in good standing.
Why Was My Facebook Page Restricted?
There are a few main reasons why your Facebook page may have been restricted:
Violating Facebook’s Community Standards
If your page has been restricted for violating Facebook’s Community Standards, it’s likely because your page’s content went against Facebook’s rules around things like nudity, hate speech, bullying, graphic violence, sexual solicitation, and more. Review the Community Standards to understand what types of content are prohibited.
Suspicious Activity
Facebook may have detected suspicious activity like spamming, compromised accounts, fake engagement, or coordinated inauthentic behavior. This could trigger a restriction while Facebook investigates.
Copyright Violations
Posting content that infringes on copyrights, such as sharing videos or images you don’t have rights to use, can result in page restrictions.
Account Security Issues
If your account appears hacked or compromised in some way, Facebook may restrict your page until you can secure your account.
How to Get Your Facebook Page Unrestricted
If your page has been restricted, here are some steps you can take to try to get it unrestricted:
1. Check Your Page Quality
Log in to your page and look for any signs of poor quality content, spammy posts, suspicious admins, or other red flags that may have triggered the restriction. Delete or improve any substandard content.
2. Strengthen Account Security
If your account appears hacked, compromised or spammed, strengthen your password, set up two-factor authentication, and make sure all admins are trusted.
3. Remove Copyright Violations
Take down any posts, images, or videos on your page that use copyrighted content illegally. Avoid reposting copyrighted material you don’t have rights to.
4. Review Restriction Notices
Check your Page Quality tab for any restriction notices from Facebook. Read these carefully to understand why your page was restricted.
5. Appeal the Restriction
File an appeal through the Page Quality tab explaining why you believe the restriction was a mistake or has been resolved now.
6. Await Facebook’s Review
It may take Facebook some time to review your page and process any appeals. The page may remain restricted until Facebook completes its review.
7. Contact Facebook Support
If your appeals are rejected but you believe the restriction was unwarranted, consider reaching out to Facebook support for human review of your page.
Best Practices for Avoiding Facebook Page Restrictions
Here are some tips to help avoid getting your Facebook page restricted in the future:
- Carefully review Facebook’s Community Standards and comply with all policies.
- Do not post copyrighted content without permission or licensing rights.
- Use high-quality photos and write engaging, useful content.
- Avoid spamming, aggressive marketing tactics or inorganic growth tactics.
- Secure your account with strong passwords and two-factor authentication.
- Be selective about who you add as page admins.
- Watch for hacked or compromised accounts.
- Do not buy likes, followers, comments or fake engagements.
- Appeal restrictions in a timely manner if you believe they were made in error.
What to Do While Your Page is Restricted
While your Facebook page is in restricted mode, your options are limited. Here are a few things you can focus on:
Communicate with Your Audience
Let your audience know about the restriction through other channels like email or your website. Assure them you are working to resolve it.
Build Your Audience on Other Platforms
Focus energy on building your audiences on other social platforms like Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn while your Facebook page is restricted.
Create Alternative Facebook Options
You may want to set up an alternative Facebook profile or page and let your audience know about this backup option.
Work on Your Website
Spend time improving your website content, SEO, speed, and user experience. This will strengthen your online presence for when your page is restored.
Produce Content
Develop an inventory of content like videos, photos, and written posts so you are ready to resume posting when back up and running.
Learn Facebook Best Practices
Use this time to thoroughly learn Facebook’s rules, restrictions, and quality guidelines so you can avoid future issues.
Examples of Restricted Facebook Pages
To understand how Facebook page restrictions work, it can help to look at real world examples. Here are a few high-profile cases of Facebook pages that got restricted:
Donald Trump’s Facebook Page
In January 2021, former US President Donald Trump’s Facebook account and page were indefinitely restricted following the Capitol riots, due to concerns he was inciting violence.
RT (Russia Today)
In March 2022, Russian state-controlled international TV network RT had its Facebook page restricted globally for violating policies on misinformation and coordinated inauthentic behavior amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Querdenken 711
In September 2020, Facebook restricted the page of this German anti-lockdown movement for spreading misinformation about COVID-19 that could lead to real world harm.
Alex Jones
In 2019, Facebook permanently deleted pages associated with American far-right radio show host Alex Jones for violating its hate and violence policies.
Candace Owens
In May 2020, conservative commentator Candace Owens had her Facebook page restricted for posts that violated the company’s policies on misinformation about COVID-19.
Table Showing Duration of Sample Facebook Page Restrictions
| Page | Reason for Restriction | Restriction Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Donald Trump | Inciting violence | Indefinite |
| RT (Russia Today) | Misinformation | Ongoing |
| Querdenken 711 | COVID-19 misinformation | 6 Months |
| Alex Jones | Hate speech | Permanent |
| Candace Owens | COVID-19 misinformation | 1 Week |
Conclusion
Having your Facebook page restricted can be stressful, but in many cases you can successfully appeal restrictions or resolve any issues to get your page restored. Be sure to closely review Facebook policies, secure your account, remove any policy-violating content, and file appeals providing relevant context. With some patience and effort, many pages are able to recover from restrictions, but be sure to learn from the experience to avoid future issues.