Facebook has strict guidelines about what type of content is allowed on their platform. Certain words and phrases can get your account disabled or banned if used in the wrong context. Understanding Facebook’s policies can help you avoid unintentionally violating their terms of service.
Why does Facebook ban certain words?
Facebook aims to create a safe and respectful environment for its billions of users. Part of enforcing this is prohibiting content that:
- Incites violence or criminal behavior
- Threatens or bullies others
- Infringes on intellectual property
- Violates local laws
- Is sexually obscene
Banning inflammatory words helps Facebook quickly identify and remove dangerous or abusive speech. Their policies are constantly updated to address new challenges as they emerge.
How does Facebook detect banned words?
Facebook uses a mix of automated systems and human content moderators to enforce their policies:
- Automated systems scan all posts, comments, videos and images for blacklisted terms. Certain phrases immediately trigger account restrictions.
- AI helps detect policy violations in different languages and contexts. It gets better at detecting banned material over time through machine learning.
- Thousands of human moderators review reported content 24/7. They provide extra scrutiny for complex cases the AI misses.
Moderators must make judgement calls on whether language specifically violates policies or just comes close to the line. This human insight improves the automated systems.
What words does Facebook prohibit?
Facebook maintains extensive lists of words and phrases banned from their platforms. While they do not make these lists public, some common categories of prohibited speech include:
Hate speech
Hate speech attacks people based on gender, race, ethnicity, religion and other protected characteristics. Examples include racial slurs, misogynistic language and anti-LGBTQ terms.
Violent threats
Graphic threats of physical harm towards others are banned. This includes specific threats as well as broader violent statements.
Sexual content
Pornography and other sexual solicitation is not allowed. Describing sexual acts in graphic detail can also result in bans.
Harassment
Derogatory language intended to demean or bully other users violates Facebook’s harassment policies. Targeted abusive messages often lead to account restrictions.
Regulated goods
Attempting to sell or trade prescription drugs, firearms, and other regulated goods is prohibited. Certain phrases can trigger bans in commerce posts.
Spam
Repeated identical comments and posts are seen as spam and removed. These repetitive phrases may also cause accounts to be disabled.
Scams
Language deceiving others for financial gain is not permitted. Phishing attempts and get-rich-quick schemes often include banned terminology.
How are banned word policies enforced?
Facebook responds to prohibited language in a few main ways:
Content removal
Posts, comments, images and videos containing banned words are taken down. Repeat violations lead to increasing account restrictions.
Account disabling
If policy violations continue after content removal, Facebook may disable accounts for a set period. Disabled accounts cannot post content or interact with other users.
Permanent banning
Continued misuse of the platform despite previous restrictions can result in permanent account deletion. Appeals are possible but seldom granted.
Law enforcement referrals
Serious threats of violence, sexual exploitation of minors and other major legal violations may be reported to police for criminal investigation after users are banned.
What happens when you get banned on Facebook?
Here’s the typical sequence of enforcement actions and restrictions when banned on Facebook:
- Content containing prohibited words is removed.
- After multiple violations, accounts are disabled for 24 hours.
- If violations continue, accounts get disabled for 3 days, then 7 days.
- The next restriction is disabling accounts for 30 days.
- Repeated policy breaking after all these restrictions leads to permanent disabling.
Throughout this process, Facebook sends notifications explaining why rules were broken. There are options to appeal each restriction, but success is unlikely for severe or repeated offenses.
Can you get unbanned from Facebook?
It’s very difficult to get unbanned once disabled permanently. Facebook only restores accounts if bans were made in error. Some tips include:
- Only appeal if you did not actually violate policies.
- Be honest in your appeal. Don’t make excuses.
- Provide context if misunderstandings caused the violation.
- Wait a few months before appealing to show changed behavior.
- Focus appeals on addressing Facebook’s concerns over your own frustrations.
Even if these guidelines are followed, few permanent bans are ever lifted. Creating a new account after getting banned is also prohibited.
What happens if you get banned on Facebook Messenger?
Since Facebook Messenger is integrated with Facebook accounts, bans on one platform extend to the other. If your Facebook account gets disabled for any reason:
- You cannot access Facebook Messenger.
- Your messages remain visible to other participants.
- New messages cannot be sent or received.
- Your contacts and group chats will display that your account was disabled.
- Getting reinstated on Facebook restores full Messenger access.
Blocks on Messenger alone are possible too. But full account bans restrict messaging alongside other features.
Are there differences between Facebook and Instagram bans?
Facebook now owns Instagram, but subtle differences exist in their banned content policies:
Key Facebook bans
- Hate speech focused on protected identity groups
- Misinformation about voting processes and COVID-19
- Posts undermining trust in NATO allies
- Attempts to sell regulated goods
Key Instagram bans
- Showing marijuana use
- Depicting female nipples
- Promoting vaping products
- Coordinating poaching activities
Enforcement actions progress similarly on both platforms. But policy specifics reflect each app’s distinct user base and risks.
What happens if you get banned on WhatsApp?
Since WhatsApp uses your phone number as your account ID, bans have different implications:
- You can no longer use that number for WhatsApp messaging.
- Your chat history remains visible to other participants.
- You can immediately create a new account with a different number.
- Getting your original number unbanned is extremely difficult.
WhatsApp bans are managed separately from Facebook and Instagram restrictions on the same owner accounts.
Can pages and groups get banned on Facebook?
Alongside personal profiles, Facebook also disables pages and groups that violate their rules:
- Page admins and group creators lose access and have posts removed.
- Members cannot see disabled group content or participate.
- Disabled pages and groups are deleted if violations are severe.
- Businesses lose assets and audiences built through banned pages.
As public figures, pages and groups must closely follow Facebook’s policies or risk restrictions. Personal profiles have slightly more leniency.
What are some notable Facebook bans?
Here are some high-profile examples of content and accounts banned by Facebook in recent years:
| Entity Banned | Reason for Ban |
|---|---|
| Donald Trump | Inciting the 2021 Capitol riot |
| Alex Jones | Spreading misinformation |
| Facebook’s Oversight Board | Posting content about banning Trump |
| Louis Farrakhan | Anti-Semitic hate speech |
| Myanmar military leaders | Justifying violence against Rohingya people |
These examples demonstrate Facebook’s willingness to restrict prominent public figures and organizations violating their rules. Political leaders, celebrities and even their own oversight board face consequences for prohibited speech.
What are some notable Instagram bans?
Here are some major Instagram accounts that have been disabled for violating policies:
| Account Banned | Reason for Ban |
|---|---|
| NudityBanned | Posting pornographic content |
| Richard Spencer | White nationalist hate speech |
| Deep Angel | Impersonating celebrity accounts |
| Infowars | Spreading misinformation |
| Celebjihad | Sharing hacked nude photos |
From graphic nudity to harassment to fraud, these examples show Instagram’s varied reasons for account restrictions. Tolerance depends on context rather than absolute rules.
What happens if you get banned from Facebook advertising?
facebook tightly controls what can be promoted through their advertising platform. Bans from running ads have the following implications:
- All active ads and ad accounts get immediately disabled.
- Ability to create new ads or edit existing ones is revoked.
- You cannot use page posts for boosting reach through paid distribution.
- Appeals are available but success rates are low.
- Getting unbanned may require completely new ad accounts.
Ad bans only restrict paid reach. Your organic page and profile content are unaffected. But for businesses relying on Facebook advertising, bans devastate their marketing.
Can Facebook ban you for comments?
Engaging in prohibited speech anywhere on Facebook can get your account restricted. This includes:
- Posts on your own profile and page
- Comments on friends’ posts
- Replies in Facebook Groups
- Messages in Messenger
- Captions on photos and videos
- Reviews on business pages
- Participation in Facebook Live videos
Moderators review context, not just keywords, when evaluating comment violations. But inflammatory remarks anywhere do carry ban risks.
Can you get banned on Facebook for using multiple accounts?
Facebook aims to foster authentic communities by limiting each person to one account. Violating their single-account policy can get you banned. Rules include:
- You cannot maintain multiple Facebook accounts.
- Creating new accounts after getting banned is prohibited.
- Impersonating other people will disable all linked accounts.
- Businesses must register official branded accounts legally.
Owning additional accounts for managing Pages or testing is permitted. But duplicating personal profiles risks restrictions.
Can Facebook ban you for old posts?
Facebook can disable accounts for past posts, though this rarely occurs. Some scenarios where old posts prompt bans:
- User complaints draw moderator attention to outdated content.
- Algorithms automatically flag posts that once slipped through.
- You get banned for recent content and they review your history.
- Changing cultural norms make old posts newly objectionable.
If you posted prohibited content in the past that remains public, deleting it can avoid potential issues. But Facebook focuses mainly on new violations in active accounts.
Can you get banned on Facebook without posting?
It’s possible to get banned on Facebook without actively posting prohibited content. This can happen if you:
- Get reported for banned activity off the platform.
- Use banned language in messages, even if private.
- Create new accounts after getting disabled.
- Link accounts engaging in policy violations.
- Use bots or fake accounts to artificially boost distribution.
Maintaining accounts linked to bad actors or questionable content also carries risks. Facebook thoroughly vets associated accounts during bans.
Can you get banned on Facebook for liking posts?
Merely liking others’ posts cannot directly get you banned on Facebook. However, excessive liking can cause restrictions in these cases:
- You like content that violates policies, showing endorsement.
- Rapidly liking posts looks like bot activity.
- You participate in coordinated artificial engagement tactics.
Likes are public, so you must be cautious about associating with prohibited content. Mass automated liking also risks bot restrictions.
Can you get IP banned on Facebook?
IP bans completely prevent anyone accessing Facebook from a specific network address. They are used in severe repeat violation cases.
- All accounts from your IP get disabled, even if unrelated.
- Changing accounts or internet connections cannot bypass the restriction.
- VPNs, proxy servers and Tor networking cannot mask banned IPs.
- Personal and business IP bans make Facebook completely unusable.
Avoiding permanent IP bans requires stopping all abusive behavior. Powerful automated defenses back up the restrictions.
Conclusion
Facebook prohibits a wide range of language and behaviors to maintain a safe, positive environment. Hate speech, graphic violence, nudity and harassment carry clear ban risks. Moderators consider context as well as specific vocabulary when disabling accounts and removing content. Past violations or circumventing previous restrictions can lead to permanent bans. Understanding Facebook’s policies allows avoiding accidental offenses that restrict your access.