When you make a post on Facebook, you always have the option to edit it after publishing. This can be useful if you notice a spelling or grammar mistake, want to add more context, or change the post for any other reason. Edited Facebook posts are marked with a small “Edited” label so your friends can see that you updated the original post.
What Does the “Edited” Label on Facebook Posts Look Like?
When you edit a post on Facebook, a small “Edited” label will appear just below the post text. This label is on the right side, next to the post date.
Here is an example of what an edited post on Facebook looks like:
As you can see, the “Edited” label is in gray italic text and is very small and discreet. People viewing your post likely won’t notice it unless they are really looking for it.
The “Edited” label will appear no matter how minor the edit is. You could fix just a single typo in your original post, and the edited indicator would still show up.
When Does the “Edited” Label Appear?
The “Edited” label will appear immediately after you edit your post and save the changes. It does not matter how soon after publishing you edit – the edited tag will show up right away.
You can edit a post multiple times, and the “Edited” label will continue to be displayed. It does not show how many times a post has been edited, only that an edit has been made at some point.
The edited indicator always appears instantly. There is no grace period where you can make changes without the label showing up.
How Long Does the “Edited” Label Remain?
Once a Facebook post has been edited, the “Edited” label will remain indefinitely. It does not disappear over time or after additional edits. The only way to remove the edited tag is to delete the post entirely and re-share it as a new post.
So if you want to update a mistake without the “Edited” label showing up, you’ll need to delete the original and repost it.
Who Can See the “Edited” Label?
The “Edited” label that appears on Facebook posts is publicly visible to anyone who can see the post. If you’ve shared a post with friends, friends of friends, or publicly, anyone viewing it can see if it has been edited.
The label is always displayed regardless of your privacy settings or who the audience is. There is no way to edit a post without specific people seeing the indicator.
Does the “Edited” Label Show for All Post Types?
The edited indicator can appear on all types of posts on Facebook, including:
- Regular status updates
- Shared links
- Uploaded photos and videos
- Life events
- Published articles
- Shared memories
Any published post that you have the ability to edit can display the “Edited” label after changes are made.
Does the “Edited” Label Appear on Facebook Comments?
In addition to Facebook posts, comments can also display an “Edited” label after they have been modified. The edited tag for comments appears and functions the same way as for regular posts.
When you edit a comment on Facebook, the “Edited” text will immediately appear to the right of the comment timestamp. All users who can see the comment will also be able to see that it has been edited.
Why Does Facebook Show the “Edited” Label?
Facebook includes the “Edited” label on posts and comments as a way to increase transparency. It helps prevent confusion when content appears different than users may remember it.
Some specific reasons Facebook displays edited tags include:
- Lets viewers know content has been modified
- Prevents misunderstandings if posts appear different than originally published
- Increases accountability and discourages changing content sneakily
- Helps mitigate misinformation by showing information has been updated
Overall, the edited label helps maintain the integrity of conversations and prevents edits from appearing completely seamless.
Pros of the Edited Label
While some Facebook users wish edits could be made discreetly, the “Edited” label has some benefits:
- Transparency – The label provides transparency into content changes.
- Accountability – It holds users accountable for changes by making edits visible.
- Clarification – It can clarify why a post appears different than users may recall.
- Progress – Shows content has improved from its original state.
The edited indicator makes conversations easier to follow and shows evolution of thought over time.
Cons of the Edited Label
However, some downsides of the ubiquitous edited label include:
- Distraction – It can distract from the content itself.
- Perfectionism – Some users feel pressure to perfect posts before publishing to avoid the label.
- Misunderstanding – Viewers may assume serious changes were made even for minor edits.
- Unnecessary – Minor fixes like typos may not warrant a callout.
The edited notification is unavoidable even for trivial changes.
How to Edit Facebook Posts Discreetly
If you want to update a Facebook post without the “Edited” label appearing, there are a couple sneaky workarounds:
- Delete the original post and re-share it as a new post. Not ideal since you’ll lose existing visibility and engagement.
- Make your updates in the comments section instead of editing the original post text. Comments do show the edited label, but may draw less attention.
- Edit your post immediately after publishing, within the 5 minute grace period before it appears on your Timeline. Edits made during this period do not show the edited tag.
However, these workarounds disrupt engagement and reduce transparency.
Do Other Social Networks Have Edited Indicators?
Facebook isn’t the only social platform that indicates edited content. Here’s how some other networks handle post editing:
Twitter does not show any label or indicator when tweets are edited. However, previous versions of edited tweets are publicly viewable on Twitter’s API.
Users can see if a tweet has been edited by checking its JSON data or using sites like Twitter Edit History.
Instagram also does not display edited labels on posts or comments. Unlike Twitter though, previous versions are not viewable or stored.
Once edits are made, there is no public record the post was ever different.
On Reddit, edited posts and comments are marked with an asterisk (*). The asterisk appears after the timestamp.
Clicking the asterisk shows the time the content was last edited. Site moderators can still view full edit history.
Quora
Quora indicates edited responses by noting “Edited [date and time]” below the content. The label is small and unobtrusive.
Full edit histories are available to moderators. The public cannot see when specifically edits occurred though.
LinkedIn notes edited posts and comments with “Edited” text displayed directly next to the modification date.
The edit indicator remains visible, but the time and date show exactly when changes were made.
Should Facebook Remove the Edited Label?
There are reasonable arguments on both sides of whether Facebook should continue showing the “Edited” label on posts.
Reasons to Remove
Arguments for removing the edited indicator include:
- The label interrupts the reading experience.
- Minor typo fixes shouldn’t be called out.
- The label discourages iteratively improving posts over time.
- Facebook should trust users to edit posts responsibly.
- Other platforms like Twitter and Instagram function fine without similar labels.
Without the label, edits would be seamless and less conspicuous.
Reasons to Keep
Reasons why Facebook should keep the edited label include:
- It maintains transparency when content is modified.
- The indicator holds users accountable for changes.
- Removing it may enable spreading misinformation via edits.
- Users appreciate knowing when information has evolved.
- It helps prevent confusion from content alterations.
The label provides validation that posts reflect their current state.
Conclusion
The “Edited” label on Facebook posts and comments ensures changes do not go unnoticed. While subtle, it enables transparency around content modifications and shows evolution of conversations over time.
The edited indicator can feel disruptive or unnecessary at times. But overall, Facebook has reasonable justification for displaying edits publicly to maintain conversational integrity.
The ubiquity of the edited label demonstrates Facebook’s priorities around content accuracy and accountability. Though imperfect, these aims tend to improve discourse quality for both users and audiences.