There are a few main reasons why you may find yourself blocked from posting, commenting, or sharing on Facebook:
- Your account has been temporarily blocked
- You’ve violated Facebook’s Community Standards
- Your post goes against one of Facebook’s policies
- Your account or the content was reported and blocked
- You’re using a banned hashtag
- You’ve hit your post limit for the day
Facebook has automated systems in place that monitor for suspicious activity and policy violations. If you trigger one of these systems, you may be temporarily blocked from posting as a precaution while Facebook investigates. However, there are things you can do to get your account back up and running.
Why Would I Be Temporarily Blocked?
There are a few main reasons Facebook may temporarily restrict your account:
- You’ve posted content that looks suspicious or spammy
- You have a new account with little history
- You’ve posted clickbait or sensational content
- You’ve posted controversial or divisive content
- You’ve posted frequently in a short time period
Posting a high volume of duplicate or repetitive content can trigger Facebook’s automated spam detection system. Things like posting the same text, hashtags, @mentions repeatedly or sharing your posts to your profile in quick succession may appear suspicious.
New and inactive accounts are more prone to temporary posting blocks because Facebook has little data on typical posting patterns. Your activities may match patterns they deem risky.
Controversial, sensational, or divisive content also raises red flags, even if you feel your posts follow guidelines. Facebook aims to limit the spread of potentially dangerous misinformation.
In most cases, these blocks are temporary, lasting 24-48 hours. Facebook reviews the flagged content and your account during this time. If they find no actual policy violations, your ability to post will be restored.
Violating Facebook Policies
Some blocks happen because you’ve clearly violated one of Facebook’s policies:
- Posting hate speech, threats of harm, or bullying content
- Sharing nudity, pornography, or sexual solicitation
- Live streaming dangerous or criminal acts
- Coordinating harm against people or engaging in mass harassment
- Impersonating others or sharing private information without consent
These actions go against Facebook’s Community Standards, so the platform responds more severely. You may be blocked from posting for a period ranging from a few days to weeks, depending on the severity of the violation.
Repeated or serious violations can lead to your account being disabled or permanently deleted.
Blocked for Posting Against Facebook Policies
You can also be blocked from posting for content that doesn’t quite violate policies but goes against Facebook’s standards in some way. This includes:
- Promoting the sale of prescription medications, marijuana, firearms, or ammunition
- Pages that are actually ad farm accounts used to boost posts and earn money
- Affiliate marketing schemes or promoting income generating gigs and opportunities
- Posts about Trending/Viral Facebook challenges that could encourage dangerous or illegal acts
Although this content alone may not warrant a Community Standards violation, Facebook aims to limit certain categories of posts they deem problematic. You may find your ability to post or share to your page restricted without full account suspension.
When Your Post is Removed and You’re Blocked
In some cases, having a specific post removed can trigger a temporary block. For example:
- Your post is removed for a Community Standards violation
- Your post receives lots of reports and is removed
- You shared a link that contains malware, phishing attempts, or other security risks
Having a post pulled down for violating policies can signal to Facebook that your account needs to be restricted temporarily. Frequent removals of your content can lead to longer restrictions from posting.
High volumes of user reports can also lead to automatic content removal and account limitation. Even if the reports are incorrect or exaggerated, Facebook will block first and investigate later in cases of mass reporting.
Using Banned Hashtags
Hashtags that promote conspiracy theories, illegal activity, pornography, or dangerous/controversial topics are banned from use on Facebook. Using a high volume of prohibited hashtags can get your account temporarily restricted.
Some commonly banned hashtags include:
| Banned Hashtag | Reason |
|---|---|
| #vaccinescauseautism | Spreading dangerous misinformation |
| #shopliftingskills | Promoting illegal activity |
| #boobs | Sexual solicitation |
| #hackingtips | Promoting dangerous/criminal activity |
So be cautious when using niche, controversial, or provocative hashtags as they may be blocked. Repeated use can flag your account for restrictions.
Hitting Your Posting Limit
Facebook also enforces limits on how much you can post in a certain timeframe to cut down on spam:
- Pages can make only 8 posts per hour and 25 per day
- Groups are limited to 13 posts per day
- Users can share only 25 items per day to their feed
Hitting these limits too frequently will trigger temporary posting blocks to limit automation and spamming. Slow down your posting pace if you notice restrictions kicking in.
How to Get Unblocked
If you’ve been temporarily blocked, here are some tips to regain access:
- Wait it out. Most blocks lift automatically within a day or two.
- Remove any flagged posts. Deleting reported content shows you acknowledge violations.
- Change restricted settings like your username or profile photo.
- Submit an appeal if you feel the block was an error.
- Avoid triggers like spam posts, automation tools, or controversial hashtags.
With a little patience and better awareness of Facebook’s rules, you should be able to get posting again soon. However, repeatedly violating policies or posting harmful content can lead to permanent account disabling.
Can I Delete a Blocked Account?
If your account has been temporarily blocked, you typically cannot delete it until the restriction has been lifted. Attempting to delete an account that’s restricted will display an error noting that it cannot currently be deleted.
This prevents people from evading restrictions by simply deleting and recreating accounts. You have to ride out the block before being able to remove your profile.
However, once the timed restriction ends, you can delete your account by:
- Clicking the account menu in the top right
- Selecting “Settings & Privacy”
- Clicking “Your Facebook Information” in the left column
- Choosing “Deactivation and Deletion”
- Selecting “Permanently Delete Account” and following prompts
Maintaining Access
To avoid future blocks, be mindful of Facebook’s rules and limits when posting content. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Could this content be considered offensive, threatening or bullyng by others?
- Am I posting this content excessively or asking others to share it repeatedly?
- Does this violate any of Facebook’s Community Standards or commerce policies?
- Could the hashtags I’m using be banned or controversial?
- Am I posting more than 8 times per hour or 25 times per day?
Keeping your content relevant, thoughtful and within reasonable limits will ensure maximum visibility and prevent your account from getting blocked.
Appealing Blocks
If you believe your block or content removal was a mistake, you can appeal to Facebook by:
- Going to the Help Center
- Searching for “appeal disabled account”
- Following prompts to submit an appeal request
However, appeals only tend to work if it was a truly incorrect block. Trying to appeal legitimate policy violations likely won’t lift restrictions.
You can also report posts you think were removed unfairly. In your post history, click the option to request further review.
Nonetheless, keep in mind that Facebook aims to limit misinformation, dangerous content and spam. Your definition of what warrants posting may differ from theirs.
Other Limitations
Beyond full posting blocks, Facebook can implement other restrictions like:
- Requiring post approval – Posts must be manually authorized before going live
- Restricting access to Pages or Groups – Blocking admin access to managed communities
- Limiting messages – Restrictions on sending PMs or creating live rooms
- Blocking invites and event creation
- Banning advertisements or commerce posts
- Disabling link sharing abilities
So don’t be surprised if other aspects of your account are temporarily limited alongside a general posting restriction.
Preventing Future Blocks
Here are some tips to keep your account in good standing:
- Avoid spamming repetitive posts or sharing content too rapidly
- Don’t post harmful, dangerous or illegal content
- Review Facebook’s Community Standards to understand policy
- Don’t use engagement farming tactics or automation tools
- Report suspicious blocking – could be a hack, glitch or mistake
- Add 2FA security to protect against account compromises
Staying within reasonable posting volumes on relevant, legal topics as outlined by Facebook’s guidelines is your best bet for avoiding restrictions.
What to Do If You’re Permanently Blocked
If your account has been disabled rather than temporarily blocked, the options are more limited. Some steps if you’re permanently blocked include:
- Appealing the decision if you feel it was a mistake
- Providing ID verification to prove your identity
- Reaching out to Facebook support via email or their channels
- Waiting and applying for reinstatement after a period of time
- Creating a new account and building compliance history
However, if you clearly violated Facebook’s rules, your appeals are unlikely to work. You may need to accept the permanent loss of that particular account.
Building a new profile and demonstrating your willingness to follow Facebook’s guidelines is likely your only option in such cases.
In Summary
Getting blocked from posting or other activities on Facebook is often just a temporary restriction triggered by automated tools. While inconvenient, have patience as normal access usually resolves within a couple days.
However, take timeouts as a sign to reflect on your posting habits. If you repeatedly have content removed or violate policies, you risk a permanent ban. No one wants to lose access to their online connections, so trade thoughtfully within Facebook’s rules.
With billions of users, Facebook relies heavily on AI, algorithms and policy enforcement to maintain order. By understanding how these systems work, adjusting your behavior accordingly, and avoiding known pitfalls, you can make sure your profile stays secure and active for the long-haul.
The Key Points
- Temporary blocks are common and typically resolve within 48 hours
- Repeated or serious violations can disable your account permanently
- Controversial, spammy, or sensational content often triggers blocks
- Banned hashtags, automation tools, and hitting post limits can also restrict accounts
- Submit appeals if you think the block was a mistake
- Change behaviors like using certain hashtags or posting frequency
- Build compliance history on a new account if needed
Stick to thoughtful posting within Facebook’s guidelines to maintain open access. By avoiding common block triggers, you can prevent restrictions that limit your ability to connect.