The Issue
It can be frustrating when the comments on your Facebook posts appear out of order or with replies in strange places. There are a few reasons why this might happen:
Facebook’s Algorithm
Facebook uses an algorithm to organize and rank comments on posts. This algorithm is designed to surface the most relevant and engaging comments towards the top. Factors like who commented, how many reactions or replies a comment has, and how timely it is all influence comment ranking. So even though comments may be posted chronologically, Facebook’s algorithm will reorder them based on these engagement signals. The algorithm is not perfect, so sometimes comments get shuffled in ways that seem confusing or illogical.
Comment Threading
When people reply to specific comments on a post, it creates a nested thread under that parent comment. On desktop, these threaded replies are indented to the right to indicate they are part of a thread. But on mobile, where screen space is limited, replies appear in chronological order mixed with all the other comments. This can make threads hard to follow and seem jumbled.
Edited Comments
If someone edits a comment after posting it, that can also disrupt the order. The original comment timestamp remains the same even if edited later. So an early comment that gets edited will still appear above later comments, even though it now shows as edited at a more recent time.
Deleted Comments
When comments get deleted, it leaves gaps in the order and makes preceding and following comments appear disconnected. The timestamps on the remaining comments no longer line up chronologically.
Connection Issues
If you have a spotty internet connection while loading or posting comments, it can cause delays in them appearing. Comments may display out of sequence if some failed to load or post on your end.
Too Many Comments
On extremely high-activity posts, Facebook’s systems can have trouble keeping up with the volume of new comments flowing in. This can lead to delays in comments becoming visible, again resulting in them being out of order upon loading.
When Do Comments Get Out of Order?
There are some specific situations when comment order is more likely to become jumbled:
- Posts with lots of comments. The more activity, the harder it is for Facebook to keep them strictly chronological.
- Posts with active threaded conversations. Branching reply threads are a prime culprit for chaotic comment order.
- During periods of peak Facebook usage. Rush hour for Facebook can strain its systems’ ability to smoothly handle commenting at scale.
- When your connection is poor. Spotty internet leads to delays that disrupt comment sequence.
- When viewing comments across different devices. The interface varies, especially between desktop and mobile.
- If you or others are heavily editing or deleting comments. This leaves holes in the timeline.
Comments are most likely to appear neatly organized on posts with lighter engagement and when viewing on a strong connection on the same device.
Tips to View Comments in Order
To try and make sense of jumbled Facebook comments, here are some tips:
Look at timestamps
The timestamp on each comment shows when it was posted chronologically. Comparing the timestamps can help you trace the sequence, ignoring how Facebook has ranked or positioned the comments.
Switch comment view options
On desktop, you can switch between showing the most relevant comments first or a strict chronological view under the “Sort By” dropdown. On mobile, choose “View Comments” instead of “Most Relevant” to see them by oldest to newest.
Expand threaded replies
On mobile, tap “View x more replies” on comment threads to expose all replies in sequence under the parent.
View on desktop site
The desktop site offers more control and clarity for following comment threads than the mobile interface.
Refresh page/app
Refreshing may update the order, particularly if connection issues were involved. However, the algorithm may still reorder them on refresh.
Post clarifying replies
You can post replies identifying misplaced comments to provide context if order issues are causing confusion.
Ways to Avoid Out of Order Comments
Here are some preventive measures you can take:
- Avoid overly-active threads. Lots of nested replies lead to tangled order.
- Delete irrelevant comments. This reduces clutter that makes threading complicated.
- Edit sparingly.Too many edits distort the timeline.
- Close commenting. Once discussion has run its course, prevent further comments.
- Post at optimal times. Avoid peak hours if your posts get lots of comments.
- Check connection strength. Weak signal can interfere with smooth comment loading.
- View on one device. Switching devices mid-discussion presents different views.
- Collapse hectic threads. Hiding busy threads simplifies the overall view.
- Sort strictly by time. Use the chronological sort rather than default “Top Comments” on desktop.
Following conversations can be tricky as commenting dynamics grow more complex. But being aware of the factors that reorder comments and using tools like timestamps and different views can help you follow comment sequences better. Keeping engagement manageable and structured also limits situations where order gets muddled. With some troubleshooting, you can still piece together comment timelines even if they appear scrambled at first glance.
Understanding Facebook’s Comment Ranking Algorithm
Facebook designed its comment algorithm to highlight the most relevant comments and conversations at the top. Here are some of the specific factors that Facebook uses to rank comments:
Reactions
Comments with lots of likes, replies, and other reactions get prioritized higher since that signals engagement.
User relationships
Comments from friends and connections tend to be ranked above those from strangers or obscure acquaintances.
Keywords
Comments that contain keywords related to the post’s content get ranked as more relevant.
Recency
Newer comments may get temporarily boosted to surface timely reactions. But older comments can still rank highly.
Moderation
Moderated or reported comments may be automatically demoted until reviewed.
Page preferences
Page admins can customize some aspects like pinning or hiding comments.
History
A user’s commenting history impacts influence – consistent engagement goes further.
Reply nesting
Replies grouped under a parent comment are ranked collectively to continue conversations.
| Factor | Description |
|---|---|
| Reactions | Comments with lots of likes, replies, and other reactions get prioritized higher since that signals engagement. |
| User relationships | Comments from friends and connections tend to be ranked above those from strangers or obscure acquaintances. |
| Keywords | Comments that contain keywords related to the post’s content get ranked as more relevant. |
| Recency | Newer comments may get temporarily boosted to surface timely reactions. But older comments can still rank highly. |
| Moderation | Moderated or reported comments may be automatically demoted until reviewed. |
| Page preferences | Page admins can customize some aspects like pinning or hiding comments. |
| History | A user’s commenting history impacts influence – consistent engagement goes further. |
| Reply nesting | Replies grouped under a parent comment are ranked collectively to continue conversations. |
Balancing factors
Facebook combines signals like these to produce an overall relevance score. Multiple factors are considered to balance different priorities. Not all signals are made public, and the algorithm evolves continuously based on new data.
Limitations
Despite its sophistication, the automated algorithmic approach has flaws. Contextual nuances in conversations can be lost. And cramming discussions into a ranked structure based on limited factors necessarily oversimplifies real human dynamics. So inconsistencies and frustration with comment order are to be expected.
Comparisons to Other Platforms
Facebook is far from the only platform to face issues with comment sequencing. A look at how some other major sites handle commenting provides useful context.
YouTube
YouTube also algorithmically ranks comments according to votes, replies, author popularity and more. They offer a “Newest first” option but default to showing “Top comments.” Threaded replies are indented for clarity.
Reddit comments default to strict chronological order by time posted. Upvotes impact ranking on the overall page but not sequencing within a thread. Nested replies are clearly indented.
Instagram has minimal comment threading and options to influence order – they display strictly reverse chronological. But lack of nesting means conversations are flat and disjointed.
Conversations on Twitter function as interconnected chains of replies, making chronology extremely important. Their “latest tweets first” approach reflects this.
Disqus
Disqus is a popular 3rd party plugin for user comments on sites. They emphasize real-time updates and chronological order in threads. But offer filters like “Best” too.
News Sites
News comment sections like NYTimes prioritize recency to enable timely discussions. Conversations stay connected through indented threading.
| Platform | Default Order | Thread Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Algorithmic relevance | Flat on mobile, indented on desktop | |
| YouTube | Algorithmic relevance | Indentation to show threads |
| Strictly chronological | Clear indentation of replies | |
| Reverse chronological | No nesting or threading | |
| Latest tweets first | Reply chains | |
| Disqus | Real-time chronological | Indentation shows threads |
| News Sites | Most recent first | Threaded replies |
This comparison shows that most platforms either optimize for chronology or at least offer it as an option. Visual indentation of threaded replies is common. Facebook’s flattened, algorithmic structure is relatively unique.
The Tradeoff Between Relevance and Timeliness
Facebook’s ranked relevance approach and other platforms’ chronological models both have pros and cons:
Relevance Pros
- Surfaces most interesting comments
- Rewards comment quality
- Curates based on many factors
- Adaptable to evolving conversations
Relevance Cons
- Can seem chaotic and confusing
- Obscures strict time sequencing
- Gameable through coordinated interactions
- Overreliance on imperfect algorithm
Chronology Pros
- Preserves logical flow of discussion
- Ensures visibility for all comments
- Transparent and predictable
- Feels more real-time
Chronology Cons
- Allows irrelevant comments to dominate
- Favors early responders over later contributors
- Outpaces ability to process in very long threads
- Messy when conversations go off-topic
There are reasonable arguments on both sides. Facebook sees its role as curating the most meaningful conversations to each user. Other sites leave curation up to the individual based on time and threading. There are merits to having the flexibility to choose between different views.
The Future of Facebook Commenting
Some potential ways Facebook could evolve comment functionality going forward:
- More transparency into ranking factors and logic.
- Stronger tools to freeze and manage comment order.
- User preference toggles – algorithmic vs. chronological.
- Stickiness options to pin certain comments.
- Upvote/downvote buttons to crowd-evaluate relevance.
- Enhanced moderation and filtering.
- Visually optimized threading, even on mobile.
- Color-coding of comments from different periods.
- Separate app just for comment management.
Product designer Jamie Beck hypothesizes some more radical redesign directions:
- “Nested bubble” interface shows threading relationships.
- Topic tagging to detangle comment types.
- AI help for summarizing and navigating long threads.
- Options to shift comments into Reddit or Discord-style channels.
- Private comment area just visible to author.
Comment data could also drive new user dashboards around reputation, influence, and consumption. So despite flaws in today’s system, comments remain a priority for Facebook as it seeks to become more social and interactive again after years of broadcasting content outward. The complexity of online conversations requires designing new ways to visualize relationships in addition to algorithmic curation. With creative solutions, they can elevate comments beyond a jumble of disjointed voices into something that feels more coherent and connected.
Conclusion
Facebook’s automated ranking approach makes reply threads confusing, but focusing on timestamps can clarify comment sequence. Proactively limiting thread length and activity may prevent disarray, and using different views and sorting can also help surface order. There are merits to both algorithmic relevance and chronological models, so more controls and transparency would be beneficial. Facebook still has opportunities to innovate in comment curation, visual threading, and conversation analysis. Perfect order may be unrealistic with human conversations, but better tools could reduce frustration of out-of-sync timelines.