Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 2.8 billion monthly active users as of 2020. Creating a Facebook account is usually quick and straightforward. However, there are some common reasons why you may be unable to create a Facebook account.
You may be under the minimum age requirement
Facebook requires users to be at least 13 years old to create an account. If you are under 13, you will not be able to sign up for a Facebook account. This is because of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which prohibits online services from collecting personal information from children under 13 without parental consent.
If you try to sign up and enter a birthdate that indicates you are under 13, Facebook will prevent you from creating the account. You will have to wait until you are 13 to create a Facebook account.
Your email or phone number may already be associated with another account
When you create a new Facebook account, you need to provide a unique email address or phone number for verification. If the email or phone number you try to use is already associated with an existing Facebook account, Facebook will not allow you to create a new account with that same contact information.
This is to prevent duplicate or fake accounts on the platform. If you try to enter an email/number already tied to a Facebook profile, you will get an error message stating that the email/number is already in use.
To fix this, you need to either use a different email/phone that is not already on Facebook, or go through the process of retrieving access to the account already using that contact info if you own it.
Your account may have been previously banned or disabled
If you had a Facebook account in the past that was banned or disabled due to violations of Facebook’s terms and policies, you may find yourself unable to create a new account.
Facebook has systems in place to detect banned users trying to return to the platform and will block any accounts associated with your identifying information like name, email, phone number, etc. This ban can range from temporary to permanent depending on the severity of the violation.
To have your account unbanned, you would need to appeal the decision by contacting Facebook support. But if it was a permanent ban, Facebook may not allow you to have an account at all moving forward.
You may be entering an incorrect date of birth
When signing up for Facebook, you need to provide your real date of birth. Entering an incorrect birth date could lead to issues creating an account.
If you enter a date of birth that makes you over 130 years old, Facebook will not accept it, as it exceeds realistic human lifespan. On the other end, any birthdate that would make you younger than 13 years old will also get rejected.
If you encounter problems creating an account because of birthday issues, make sure you are entering your real date of birth within the acceptable range (13 years old to 130 years old at maximum).
Technical or spam filter issues could be blocking your account creation
In some cases, technical errors or spam filter issues could be preventing you from successfully creating a Facebook account. Here are some potential reasons:
- Connecting from an IP address or location that has been flagged for suspicious activity
- Internet or Facebook server issues blocking requests
- Spam filters misidentifying your sign up activity as a bot or script
- Cookies/cache/browser data causing conflicts on Facebook’s site
To troubleshoot these types of technical problems:
- Try connecting from a different network or device if possible
- Clear your browser cookies, history, and cache then attempt signing up again
- Wait a while and try creating the account later to see if the issues persist
- Contact Facebook support if the problem cannot be resolved
Your full name may not meet Facebook’s naming policies
Facebook has rules around what types of names you can use on your account. If the full name you try to use does not meet the below criteria, Facebook may not allow you to create an account:
- Names must use real first and last names as you are known in everyday life
- Characters from alphabets other than Roman script must have a transliteration into Roman script letters
- Titles like “Queen” or “Prince” are not allowed without documentation of your affiliation with a government, military, or religious organization claiming such titles
If the name you attempt to sign up with does not comply with the above policies, try using a name that meets the requirements. Fictional names, symbols, or Unicode characters that do not translate into Roman script will cause problems.
Your account activity appears suspicious or inauthentic
Facebook scans for signals that accounts may be fake, inauthentic or violating policies. Things like:
- Entering names/info that don’t seem real
- Signing up from flagged locations or networks
- Suspicious account login or usage patterns
- Automated or bot-like account creation activity
If Facebook detects suspicious account creation activity from your attempts to sign up, they will block you from completing registration as a precaution against spam, bots, banning evaders, and policy violators.
To avoid triggering these safeguards, make sure you provide accurate identity details during signup and use the account like a normal person rather than quickly taking automated actions.
You may need to verify your identity or humanity to Facebook
In some cases, Facebook may require new users undergo an identity or humanity verification check before allowing account creation. This acts as an additional safeguard against fake accounts.
Verification can include:
- Submitting a government ID for confirmation
- Recording a video selfie saying a specific phrase provided by Facebook
- Completing a captcha or challenge question test
If asked to complete one of these checks, carefully follow the steps so Facebook can confirm you are a real person looking to use the platform legitimately. Failing the verification process results in not being able to sign up.
Your network or device may be associated with prior abuse
If your current IP address, wifi network, or device has been linked to suspicious behavior like spamming, scraping, or spreading misinformation, Facebook may preemptively block new accounts associated with that network or device.
This stops potentially problematic accounts before they can cause harm. To create your account, try accessing Facebook from a new network location or device not previously flagged. You may also need to take steps to secure your network if it has been compromised by malware or bots.
Your account may have been incorrectly flagged for unusual activity
Facebook’s automated systems aim to detect policy violations and fake accounts, but sometimes make mistakes flagging legitimate accounts as suspicious. Potential reasons you could be incorrectly blocked include:
- Sharing a device or network with a previously banned user
- Traveling and logging in from an unusual location
- Having an uncommon name or entry mistakes when signing up
If you believe your new account was incorrectly flagged as suspicious, reach out to Facebook support for help resolving the issue and gaining access to the platform.
How can I fix these issues?
If you are unable to create a Facebook account for one of the reasons above, here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and fix the problems:
- If underage, have a parent or guardian create the account for you
- Use a different email or phone number not already on an existing account
- Appeal any previous bans or disabled accounts through Facebook support channels
- Enter your accurate date of birth meeting the age requirements
- Clear browser history/cache and try signing up from a new device or network
- Make sure your name complies with Facebook’s naming policies
- Provide valid identity details and pass any verification checks if prompted
- If incorrectly flagged, reach out to Facebook support to review the block
With over 2 billion users, Facebook has put safeguards in place to maintain the integrity of accounts on their platform. While these protections can sometimes block legitimate users, there are steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve any issues blocking you from accessing Facebook.
Preventative measures to avoid account creation issues
Here are some tips to avoid running into problems when making a new Facebook account in the future:
- Use a completely new email and phone number not associated with previous Facebook accounts
- Make your name simple and use actual first/last names as you are known in everyday life
- Enter your real date of birth that complies with the 13 year minimum age requirement
- Connect from a residential network on a device not used for automation or scraping
- Build up your account slowly with normal human usage patterns
- Avoid accessing Facebook from shared, public, or flagged IP addresses and networks
- Follow all instructions for identity/humanity verification checks if prompted
Keeping these tips in mind when signing up for a new Facebook account can help avoid triggers that could block your account creation.
Conclusion
Facebook aims to maintain the integrity of their user base by placing restrictions around account creation. Reasons you may be unable to make a new account range from being below the minimum age, using an email/phone already on Facebook, or having prior policy violations.
Troubleshooting steps like using new contact information, appealing previous bans, passing verification checks, and clearing browser data can help resolve many new account registration issues. Preventative measures like avoiding shared networks, using real identity details, and building up your account gradually can also prevent problems when creating a Facebook profile in the future.
With over a quarter of the world’s population using it, Facebook needs to balance open access with accountability. By understanding the reasons you may be blocked from registering and taking proactive steps to fix or avoid these problems, gaining access to Facebook’s platform can ultimately be achieved.