If your Facebook feed seems off lately, you’re not alone. With over 2.8 billion monthly active users, even small algorithm tweaks by Facebook can dramatically impact many people’s experiences on the platform. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most common issues with Facebook feeds and how to address them.
Too many irrelevant posts
Have you been seeing a rise in posts that don’t interest you at all? Facebook’s feed ranking algorithm takes into account thousands of signals to determine the order of posts. Some of the key factors include:
- How recently the post was shared
- The type of post (photo, video, status update, etc)
- How many likes, comments, and shares the post receives
- Your history of interacting with the person or page posting
If you’ve been inactive on Facebook for a while, it can cause more irrelevant content to appear in your feed. The algorithm’s ranking signals have less recent data to go on for your preferences.
You can improve your feed relevance by being more active. React and comment on posts you find interesting. Like pages and follow people that share content you care about. The more signals you give, the better job Facebook can do at tuning your individual feed.
Too much promotional content
Businesses and creators are always looking for new ways to reach audiences on Facebook. Some promotional content can be useful, but too much can make your feed feel spammy.
Facebook has rules limiting how much pages can post and requiring disclosure of paid partnerships. But some overly promotional content still slips through.
When you see a post you don’t like, you can unfollow the page that shared it. Tap the three dots in the top right corner of the post, choose “Why am I seeing this?”, and then select “Unfollow [Page]”.
You can also use the Snooze feature to temporarily hide posts from a person, page, or group for 30 days. Just tap the three dots on any post by them and hit “Snooze [Person/Page]”.
Missing posts from friends
Facebook uses ranking signals not just to filter posts you might not care about, but also to make sure you don’t miss important posts from close connections.
But sometimes posts from friends can still get buried. Common reasons include:
- You have lots of friends, making it hard for Facebook to determine which ones are closest.
- Your friend doesn’t post often, so Facebook’s algorithm isn’t as tuned to highlight their content.
- Your friend posted at a busy time when you had many other recent posts in your feed.
You can take a few steps to prevent missing posts from important people:
- Comment on and react to your close friends’ posts when you see them. More signals helps the algorithm.
- Visit your favorite friends’ profiles periodically to check if they’ve posted.
- Adjust notifications settings for close friends to “All Posts” instead of default.
Facebook is also testing a “Favorites” feed option that would allow users to specify their closest friends and ensure they see those posts.
Too much negative or polarizing content
With over three billion global users, Facebook aims to connect people across geographic and ideological divides. But the diversity of perspectives also means you may encounter more negative or polarizing content than you’re comfortable with.
If you want to limit sensitive content, try these steps:
- Unfollow or snooze pages that share a lot of negative content
- Choose the “Happening Now” feed filter which highlights current events and news
- Focus your feed on inspirational pages, groups and hashtags
- Hide or snooze posts you disagree with or find confrontational
You can also access Facebook’s Community Standards and report content that seems abusive, dangerous or otherwise violating guidelines.
Too many old posts
Facebook typically shows you a mix of recent and older posts. But if you notice many outdated posts in your feed, it likely means you need to use Facebook more consistently.
When you leave and return to Facebook after a while, the algorithm tends to resurface older posts it thinks you might have missed. But interacting consistently causes it to show more timely content.
To get your feed refreshed, try scrolling through and liking, commenting on, and sharing newer posts. You can also tap “Latest” at the top to manually jump to the most recent posts from friends and pages.
Disappearing posts
There are a few reasons you might notice posts seem to disappear from your Facebook feed:
- The poster deleted the post.
- The post was hidden because it violated Facebook guidelines.
- It was an ephemeral Story post that expired after 24 hours.
- Too much time passed and it fell out of the feed algorithm’s range.
If a post seems to randomly vanish, it was likely because the original poster removed it or Facebook took it down for violating terms of service.
How to refresh your Facebook feed
If your Facebook feed is littered with irrelevant or unwanted content, there are a few techniques you can use to refresh it:
- Clean up who you follow – Unfollow pages, groups and hashtags that no longer interest you. Follow influential voices and organizations that share content you care about.
- Engage with preferred posts – Actively like, comment on, and share the posts you want to see more of. This trains the feed algorithm.
- Limit negative content – Snooze or unfollow accounts that share lots of negative or annoying posts.
- Adjust notifications – Customize notifications for your closest friends and favorite Pages so you never miss their posts.
- Try different feed views – Switch between the default view and options like “Most Recent” and “Favorites” to see different post sets.
With over 6 billion pieces of content shared per day, Facebook’s feed ranking algorithm has an incredibly complex and challenging job. But understanding how the system works can help you take control and see the posts you care about.
Should I take a Facebook break?
If your Facebook feed is causing more frustration than positive value, it may be a sign to take a break. Here are a few signs it’s time for a temporary hiatus:
- You’re spending way too much time scrolling without satisfaction.
- You feel overwhelmed by polarizing posts and debates.
- The content makes you feel FOMO, anxiety, envy or other negative emotions.
- It’s become a mindless distraction from important tasks.
- You’re losing sleep to late night scrolling.
Facebook can be an incredible tool for staying connected, discovering information, and being entertained. But if it’s leading to burnout or negativity, don’t be afraid to unplug for a while.
You can simply deactivate your account for a set period of time, like a week or month. Or try uninstalling just the mobile app from your phone if that’s your main distraction trigger.
A Facebook break can provide space to reflect on how to use it in a healthier way going forward. And being intentional about when and why you access it can make your feed more positive when you return.
How long should a Facebook break be?
There’s no magic number for how long your Facebook break should be. Consider these factors in deciding:
- How severe is your Facebook burnout? A more exhausted state of mind may need a longer break.
- Do you need to fully disconnect? Deactivating your account for 1-4 weeks is more complete than just deleting the app.
- What feels manageable but still meaningful? Aim for a timeframe that challenges you but isn’t impossible.
- Are specific upcoming events causing stress? Consider timing your break to avoid them.
- Do you have self control to limit? Deleting the app may work if you won’t reinstall it right away.
Start with two weeks off as a reasonable Facebook break length. See if your fatigue lifts and you feel more focused. You can always extend your break if needed.
For many users, a month off provides a great mental reset. But even just 72 hours – a long weekend – can make a difference.
How to make your Facebook feed less annoying
Here are some tips to curate your Facebook feed and make it less annoying:
- Unfollow friends who share too much irrelevant content
- Snooze friends who post negativity too often
- Follow pages that share content and causes you care about
- Join Facebook groups where you can connect over shared interests
- Like, comment on, and share posts you find valuable to see more of that content
- Click “Why am I seeing this?” on annoying posts and choose “See less like this”
- Mute friends who are oversharing mundane life details
- Report offensive posts that violate Facebook’s policies
- Limit political content by hiding posts or unfollowing politicians/news outlets
- Prioritize Facebook friends who post uplifting, thoughtful content
Curating your feed takes effort, but makes the experience much better. Take advantage of customization tools to shape the feed you want.
Should I delete my Facebook account?
Here are some pros and cons of deleting your Facebook account to consider:
Pros of deleting Facebook:
- Regain lost time spent mindlessly scrolling.
- Avoid toxic arguments and polarizing rhetoric.
- Increase productivity without the distraction.
- Take a stand against privacy concerns.
- Prevent social media envy and social comparison.
- Force yourself to connect with people in real life.
Cons of deleting Facebook:
- Lose connection with friends who mostly use Facebook.
- Miss out on events, messages, updates, invitations.
- Lose access to memories and photos.
- Won’t be able to access Facebook-only services.
- Miss out on local news, groups and recommendations.
Consider doing a temporary deactivation first before fully deleting your account. This allows you to take a break while retaining the option to reactivate.
Overall, if Facebook is hampering your well-being more than helping, leaving may be the right choice. But be strategic about alternative ways to stay connected.
Conclusion
Facebook’s massive scale means even minor changes can dramatically impact users’ feeds and experiences on the platform. Tweaks to the algorithm or societal events can surface more irrelevant, polarizing or negative content.
Fortunately, you have many options to take control and curate the Facebook feed you want to see. Unfollow what annoys you, amplify what matters to you, and don’t hesitate to deactivate for a reset when needed.
With some thoughtful effort, you can ensure your Facebook feed contains the uplifting social connections and information you desire.