There are a few reasons you may be seeing posts in your Facebook News Feed from groups you don’t belong to. Here are some of the most common explanations and how to adjust your settings if you want to see less of this content.
Your Friends are Active in Those Groups
The most likely reason you’re seeing posts from unfamiliar groups is that you have friends who are active members. Facebook’s algorithm shows you posts it thinks you’ll find relevant and interesting, which includes content your friends frequently like, comment on, or share in groups.
So if you have a friend who is very active in a parenting group or hobby group you don’t belong to, some of their activity from that group may show up in your feed. You may also see posts from groups your friends are members of if those posts get a lot of reactions and comments from your broader network.
You Have Mutual Friends With the Group Members
Along similar lines, you may be shown group content if you have several mutual friends with the members who are posting or engaging with that content. Facebook will see that there is overlap between your networks and serve those posts higher in your feed.
So if 5 of your friends are also friends with someone who made a post in a group, Facebook may assume you would be interested in that post because of the mutual connections.
You Have Interacted With the Group in the Past
Another possibility is that you may have come across and engaged with posts from a particular group at some point. Even if you’re not an official member, liking, commenting on, or sharing posts from a group signals to Facebook that you’re interested in its content.
As a result, you’re more likely to continue seeing posts from that group moving forward. Facebook’s algorithm serves you more of the types of posts you frequently interact with.
You’re Demographically Similar to Group Members
Facebook also takes demographics into account when determining what content might be relevant to you. If you’re the same age, gender, and have similar interests as members of a certain group, Facebook may show you posts from that group expecting you’ll appreciate them.
For example, if you’re a 28-year old woman interested in cooking and fitness, you may see posts from other cooking or fitness groups with a high percentage of women around your age. Even if you don’t know the members personally, Facebook thinks you could find value in the same type of content.
The Group Paid to Promote a Post
In some cases, you may be seeing posts from groups you’re not in because the group admin paid to boost a specific post’s reach. Groups have the option to pay to promote posts to wider audiences the algorithm may not otherwise show them to.
So if a post seems totally irrelevant to you, it could be that the group behind it paid for you to see it based on your location, demographics, or interests. Sponsored/promoted posts are required to be labeled as such, so look for a note indicating if this is why it appeared for you.
How to See Less Content from Groups You Don’t Belong To
If you want to adjust your News Feed preferences so posts from unfamiliar groups don’t populate as much, here are some steps you can take:
- Unfollow or snooze friends who frequently share group content
- Unlike pages related to the group’s subject matter
- Mark posts as “Not Interested” when they appear
- Mute specific groups to avoid their posts
- Filter your News Feed to show “Friends” first
- Adjust News Feed Preferences to see more or fewer posts about certain subjects
You can also provide direct feedback to Facebook on why you don’t want to see a particular post to further refine their algorithm. Over time as you customize your feed and continue to engage with the types of posts you prefer, group content you’re not interested should occur less frequently.
Conclusion
In summary, some of the top reasons you may encounter posts in your Facebook feed from public groups you don’t belong to include:
- Your friends are active or share content from those groups
- You have mutual friends with the posting members
- You previously engaged with posts from that group
- You’re demographically similar to members of the group
- The group paid to promote a post to a wider audience
Adjusting your News Feed preferences, unfollowing certain friends, and providing Facebook feedback on irrelevant posts can reduce the amount of unwanted group content you see. But some may still pop up periodically if the algorithm thinks it may interest you based on the activity of those in your network.
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Your friends are active or share content from those groups | If your friends frequently engage with a group, posts may show up in your feed |
| You have mutual friends with the posting members | Having overlapping connections with a group’s members can expose you to their posts |
| You previously engaged with posts from that group | Liking, commenting on, or sharing a group’s posts means you may see more of their content |
| You’re demographically similar to members of the group | Facebook may show you posts from groups with members like you |
| The group paid to promote a post to a wider audience | Sponsored posts are shown to those outside the group who may be interested |
We hope this gives you a better understanding of some of the reasons you may be seeing content in your News Feed from public Facebook groups you don’t belong to. Let us know if you have any other questions!