When someone blocks you on Facebook, you will not get any kind of notification or message that you have been blocked. Facebook does this to protect the privacy of the person who blocked you.
What happens when you are blocked on Facebook?
Here are some of the key things that happen when you are blocked by someone on Facebook:
- You will no longer be able to see their Facebook profile or any posts they make.
- You will not be able to start a conversation with them or send them a friend request.
- Any friend requests you have already sent them will be deleted.
- You will not be able to tag them in photos or posts.
- You will not be able to invite them to events or groups.
- You will not be able to start a video call or send messages to them on Messenger.
- Posts you are tagged in by the person who blocked you may not appear in your News Feed and you won’t get notifications for these posts.
So in essence, when someone blocks you on Facebook it creates a one-way barrier where you can no longer interact with them in any way on Facebook. For you, it will seem like they deleted their account.
Why you don’t get notified when someone blocks you
Facebook does not notify or inform you if someone has blocked you. There are a few reasons why:
- To protect the privacy of the person who blocked you. They don’t want you to know you have been blocked.
- To prevent backlash or retaliation. Some users could get angry or abusive if they knew they were blocked.
- To avoid awkward social situations. The blocker probably doesn’t want to directly confront you.
- To encourage more blocking. If users knew blocking notified the blocked person, they may be hesitant to use the block feature.
Facebook ultimately wants people to feel comfortable blocking others they don’t want to interact with, without worrying about social consequences or awkwardness. Silent blocking helps achieve this.
How to tell if someone blocked you on Facebook
Because you will not get any kind of notification, blockees often have to resort to other means to figure out if they have been blocked. Here are some tips:
- Search for their profile – If you can’t find their profile at all, there’s a good chance you may have been blocked.
- Check mutual friends – See if your mutual friends have recently posted on their profile or tagged them in photos. If you can’t see the person’s activity in mutual friends’ posts, it’s likely you’re blocked.
- Use the visitor log – This shows who has visited your profile. If the person never shows up here, it could indicate a block.
- Try to tag them – Attempt to tag them in a post or photo. If their name doesn’t auto-populate, that suggests you have been blocked.
- Send a message – Try sending them a Facebook message or chat. If your messages continuously show a single check and never get delivered, you have probably been blocked.
Using one or more of these methods can typically help you figure out if someone has blocked you, even without getting a notification from Facebook.
What to do if you’ve been blocked on Facebook
Here are some tips on handling the situation if you discover you have been blocked:
- Don’t retaliate or get angry – As frustrating as it may be, reacting negatively could make the situation worse.
- Reflect on why – Think about if you did anything that may have caused the blocking, and learn from it.
- Respect their wishes – Understand that the person likely blocked you for a reason and wants privacy.
- Move on – Ultimately, there is nothing you can do to reverse a block, so accept it and move forward.
The healthiest approach is to maintain your composure, reflect on what may have happened, respect their decision, and redirect your energies elsewhere.
Can you unblock someone who blocked you on Facebook?
No, on Facebook blocking is a one-way restriction. If someone has blocked you, you cannot unblock yourself or reverse it in any way. Only the person who initiated the block can decide to later unblock you.
Some things to keep in mind:
- Pleading or demanding to be unblocked will most likely be futile or viewed as harassment. Avoid this.
- Getting a mutual friend involved to request your unblocking could work but may be seen as invasive.
- Creating a new account to get around the block could result in your accounts being disabled for violating Facebook’s policies.
In most cases, the blocker has made their decision clear. Pressuring or coercing them to unblock you will likely backfire or prolong the conflict. As difficult as it may be, allowing them their space is usually the wisest option.
Prevent being blocked on Facebook
To avoid getting blocked by someone on Facebook:
- Be respectful in all your interactions and avoid harassment.
- Do not spam others with friend requests, messages or game notifications.
- Limit tagging someone unless you know they are okay with it.
- Avoid airing frustrations or negative emotions toward the person publicly on Facebook.
- If someone requests you stop contacting them, comply immediately.
Basically, conduct yourself in a mature and responsible manner. Also, be mindful of others’ privacy and wishes. This significantly reduces the chances that someone will feel the need to block you.
Conclusion
Being blocked on Facebook can be disappointing but is often beyond your control. The platform intentionally does not notify users when they have been blocked to protect privacy and prevent social frictions.
If you determine you have been blocked, it’s best to behave respectfully, learn from the situation, and move on. Attempting to forcefully reverse a block will likely damage the situation further. With over 2 billion Facebook users, redirect your energies to more positive connections.