Facebook relies on its community of users to help monitor content posted on the platform. One of the ways users can do this is by reporting content they find inappropriate or objectionable. When a Facebook user submits a report about a post, photo, video, or other content, it is referred to as “member reported content.”
What happens when content gets reported on Facebook?
When a Facebook user sees something they believe violates the platform’s Community Standards, they can click the dropdown menu in the upper right corner of the post and select “Report post.” They will then be prompted to choose a reason why they are reporting the content from a list of options. Some common reasons for reporting include nudity, hate speech, bullying, false information, and spam.
Once a post or other content is reported, it is not automatically removed right away. The report is sent to Facebook’s Community Operations team to review. Facebook employs thousands of content reviewers who assess reported posts and determine if they do indeed violate policies. If they decide the content breaks a rule, they will remove it. If not, it will be allowed to remain on the site.
In addition to removing violating content, Facebook may also take action against the account that posted it, such as temporary suspensions or permanent bans for repeat offenders. Page owners can appeal enforcement actions if they believe Facebook made a mistake.
Why is member reporting an important part of content moderation?
With billions of users posting status updates, photos, videos, and more on Facebook every day, it is impossible for the company itself to monitor everything being shared. Relying on users to report inappropriate content and policy violations allows Facebook to review millions of posts per week. Without member reporting, a lot more objectionable content would likely slip through the cracks.
Users help identify content that automated systems may miss because they have local context and language knowledge. They can also flag potentially dangerous posts, like someone threatening self-harm, that require more nuanced understanding. Having a global community flag concerning content makes Facebook’s content moderation more efficient and comprehensive.
What kinds of content do users report most often?
The types of content most commonly reported by users includes:
- Graphic violence
- Adult nudity and sexual activity
- Hate speech or symbols
- Harassment and bullying
- Terrorist propaganda
- Misinformation and fake news
- Spam
Things like nudity and violence are straightforward policy violations that are easy for users to identify. Determining if something constitutes hate speech or harassment can be more nuanced and require judgment calls.
How does Facebook prevent false or abusive reporting?
While user reporting provides valuable assistance to Facebook’s content moderation efforts, there is potential for some users to falsely report content they simply disagree with or want removed out of spite. To prevent and deter false reporting, Facebook has several mechanisms in place:
- Limiting the number of reports users can submit in a set time period
- Requiring users to select a specific policy violation reason when reporting
- Using technology to detect false or spam reports
- Ignoring reports submitted in bad faith by repeat offenders
- Banning users who repeatedly make invalid reports
Facebook also offers an appeals process so users can contest enforcement actions taken against their accounts based on inaccurate reporting. Overall, the percentage of reports made in error or bad faith is relatively low compared to legitimate reports.
What happens when a user’s post gets taken down because of reports?
When content is removed after being reported by users, the poster will get a notification from Facebook explaining that their post went against Community Standards. This notice will tell them which policy their content violated resulting in its removal.
Users have the option to disagree with the decision and submit an appeal. They can explain why they believe their post did not actually break any rules and request it be restored. In some cases, if the post was removed in error, Facebook may admit their mistake and allow the content back up.
However, if the appeals process upholds the initial violation finding, the post will remain taken down. The user may face additional consequences from repeated infractions, up to losing their account entirely.
What are some controversial examples of reported content on Facebook?
There have been many instances of Facebook removing content based on user reports that sparked debates about censorship and free speech. Here are a few notable examples:
- Users reporting breastfeeding and post-mastectomy photos as obscene, resulting in them being taken down despite not violating policies
- Photographs with cultural or historical significance being removed after being reported as offensive
- Reports of Black Lives Matter content and COVID-19 information as “misinformation,” leading to accusations of racial bias and scientific censorship
- Conservatives complaining of censorship when far-right pages expressing hate or conspiracies get removed
- LGBTQ groups seeing anti-harassment campaigns unfairly reported as harassment themselves
There are often arguments around subjective issues like nudity versus artistic expression, hate speech versus free speech, and misinformation versus opinion. Facebook must continually re-evaluate policies and processes to handle controversial reporting issues.
How does Facebook decide what types of content can be reported?
Facebook maintains a set of Community Standards that outline what types of content and behavior are not permitted on their platform. This includes policies against dangerous individuals and organizations, violence and criminal behavior, fraud and deception, bullying and harassment, regulated goods, hate speech, graphic and sexual content, and more.
When establishing or updating these standards, Facebook considers input from experts in fields like technology ethics, privacy and safety. They factor in cultural norms in different countries and aim to balance enforcing policies while supporting free expression.
The Community Standards provide guidelines users can reference to understand what kind of content can justifiably be reported. Facebook occasionally updates these policies in response to emerging issues or abuse tactics. Any changes are communicated to users.
Can users report profiles and pages in addition to specific posts?
Yes, Facebook allows users to report full profiles, pages, groups and events in addition to individual pieces of content like posts, photos, videos and comments.
Reasons users can give for reporting an entire profile or page include that it is fake, is impersonating someone, is spam, or represents a dangerous organization or individual. Facebook will investigate the page as a whole and may remove it or disable the account if found to violate policies.
Reporting a group or event can flag it for containing prohibited content, being used for prohibited coordination, or promoting misinformation about voting. Facebook can take down groups or events if investigation confirms these issues.
How does Facebook handle reports about content that does not violate policies?
When reviewing reported content, Facebook will only take action and remove posts if they are determined to actually break community rules. If a post is reported but does not clearly violate policies, Facebook’s content reviewers will leave it up.
Just because something is reported or offends some users does not necessarily mean it has to be taken down under Facebook’s policies. Controversial, unpopular or objectionable views can often still be protected speech under Facebook’s values supporting free expression.
However, in cases where post does not fully cross the line but raises some concerns, Facebook may limit its reach or add additional context. For example, a post making a claim deemed partly false could have a link appended pointing to a fact-checking article.
Does Facebook prioritize reviewing certain types of reported content?
Yes, Facebook uses algorithms and trained reviewers to prioritize reports requiring urgent intervention. These include:
- Imminent real-world harm – threat of violence or self-harm
- Child abuse imagery
- Terrorist content
- Ongoing violent events or risks to public safety
Reports involving these severe policy areas automatically go to the top of the queue. Facebook aims to review over 99% of these reports within 24 hours to quickly remove harmful or dangerous content when flagged.
Other less urgent report categories like nudity, bullying, and hate speech may take a bit longer to assess depending on volume. But Facebook strives to review all reports in a timely manner while prioritizing imminent real-world harms.
What measures does Facebook take against users who report frivolously?
Facebook tries to discourage false or frivolous reporting by implementing the following consequences for users who abuse the reporting system:
- Limiting the number of reports a single user can submit in a period of time
- Temporarily disabling the ability to report for users who repeatedly make invalid reports
- Requiring additional information or feedback from repeat offenders before acting on new reports
- Completely banning users with extensive histories of reporting content in bad faith
These measures aim to reduce the number of inaccurate, dishonest, or spammy reports sent to Facebook reviewers. This helps focus the content moderation process on legitimate reports while deterring abuse. Users are informed when their ability to report is limited to discourage further false reporting activity.
How can users appeal if their content was wrongly taken down?
If a user feels that Facebook mistakenly removed their post, profile or page after it was reported, they can submit an appeal through the following process:
- In the app or desktop site, go to the Help Center
- Click “Submit Appeal” and select the content that was taken down
- Select the reason it was incorrectly removed – e.g. “I don’t think it goes against Community Standards”
- Explain why you believe the content does not violate policy and should be restored
- Click “Submit Appeal”
Facebook policy experts will reconsider the reported content and make a determination. If they agree it was removed in error, the post or account will be immediately restored. This provides recourse for users unfairly targeted by false reporting.
What happens if an appeal is rejected?
If the Facebook appeals team upholds the initial decision that the reported content violated Community Standards, the post or account will remain unavailable. The user will be notified that their appeal was denied.
At this point, the user cannot resubmit another appeal for the same content. However, they may be able to appeal another enforcement action taken on their account stemming from the violation, such as being temporarily suspended.
If the user continues posting other content that gets reported and removed, their account may end up completely disabled for repeated infractions. Once an account is permanently disabled, it cannot be reactivated.
Can users report content anonymously?
No, Facebook requires users to report content from their own account profile. Reports cannot be submitted anonymously by creating a fake or dummy account.
Requiring real identities for reporting helps discourage false reports. It creates accountability so Facebook can track users who repeatedly make bad faith reports and limit their ability to continue doing so. Anonymity would enable dishonest reporting without repercussions.
In cases where a user may not feel comfortable having a report traced to them, they can generic “Other” reason instead of a more specific policy violation category. But their identity remains visible to Facebook’s reviewers.
What are some tips for effectively reporting content on Facebook?
Here are some recommendations for reporting content accurately and effectively:
- Clearly explain why you believe the content violates policy using specific examples
- Stick to factual descriptions of the content instead of subjective judgments
- Avoid generalizing or exaggerating in your reports
- Focus reports on posts themselves versus users you personally dislike
- Familiarize yourself with Facebook’s rules so you understand what standards apply
- Don’t flood the system with multiple reports about the same content
Taking the time to be thoughtful and precise in reports helps Facebook respond appropriately. Reporting content that does not actually break policies, or exaggerating violations, undermines the effectiveness of moderation efforts.
Conclusion
Reports made by users about concerning content are essential to Facebook’s ability to enforce policies and Community Standards at scale. The concept of “member reported content” refers to posts, photos, videos, profiles and other materials flagged by users as potentially objectionable or in violation of platform rules.
Facebook relies on member reporting coupled with technology and trained reviewers to identify content like nudity, hate speech, threats of violence, and misinformation. Reported content gets reviewed to determine if it should be removed, or if no policy violation exists. Facebook also offers appeals for users who think content was mistakenly taken down.
Overall, member reporting allows Facebook to respond to issues that might otherwise be missed. It provides critical assistance in content moderation, though the system requires diligence to prevent abuse through false reporting. Understanding how user reporting functions is key to keeping the platform safe and promoting free expression.