Having a Facebook page deleted can be extremely frustrating, especially if you’ve invested significant time and effort into building up your audience. There are a few common reasons why Facebook may delete pages without warning:
You violated Facebook’s Terms of Service or Community Standards
The most common reason pages get deleted is due to violations of Facebook’s rules. Here are some of the most common violations that can get a page removed:
Spam or misleading content
Facebook prohibits spam, clickbait, false news, and other types of misleading or deceptive content. This includes posts with exaggerated or sensationalist headlines, links to sketchy websites, and content designed to go viral rather than provide value to readers.
Abusing tagging or mentions
You should not tag people or places in posts without their permission. Excessively tagging unrelated people or places to get more views is considered abuse.
Scams
Running scams or promotion scams will get your page deleted very quickly. This includes pyramid schemes, promising impossibly high investment returns, and other “get rich quick” type scams.
Impersonation
Pretending to be someone else, such as a celebrity, public figure or brand you are not officially affiliated with will likely lead to deletion.
Hate speech, bullying, or harassment
Facebook does not allow promoting hate based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, sex, gender or gender identity, or disabilities or diseases.
Nudity or sexual content
Facebook restricts nudity and sexual content. Pages promoting or sharing pornography and other sexually explicit content often get removed.
Violence or dangerous organizations
Promoting violence or criminal behavior is banned, as is content from dangerous organizations like terrorist, hate, or criminal groups.
Intellectual property violations
You can’t share content you don’t own the rights to, such as pirated movies, music, TV shows, ebooks, or articles.
You violated Facebook’s advertising policies
Facebook has strict rules around advertising. Here are some advertising policy violations that can get pages deleted:
Misleading ads
All ads must be honest, accurate and not misleading to users. For example, exaggerated health claims or income claims for a business opportunity.
Unauthorized use of brands
You must get permission before using another company’s brand name or logo in your ads.
Low ad quality
Ads with spelling errors, sensationalist headlines, disruptive content or other policy violations may be disapproved and can get your ad account restricted.
Targeting inappropriate or sensitive categories
You cannot target users based on criteria like health issues or ethnic affiliations without authorization.
You created multiple accounts or violated platform manipulation policies
Facebook prohibits coordinated inauthentic behavior and platform manipulation tactics. Here are some examples that can get your pages removed:
Creating multiple accounts
Operating fake accounts or maintaining multiple accounts under different names is not allowed.
Purchasing followers or likes
Buying fake likes or followers is a violation. Accounts using these services may be banned.
Excessive or disruptive tagging
Tagging people excessively to grab attention or posting unrelated content in irrelevant groups are forms of spamming the platform.
Coordinated inauthentic behavior
Working with others to mislead people about identities or purpose of accounts will get you banned.
Your page was mistakenly identified as spam or a violation
Sometimes Facebook’s automated systems may incorrectly flag legitimate pages as spam or fakes. This “false positive” can happen when:
You share content rapidly
Posting too much similar content too quickly can look like automation.
You have a new page with few followers
New pages with low followers can be mistaken for fake pages sometimes.
You changed your page name or category
Sudden name or content category changes can be picked up as suspicious behavior.
You use certain blackhat tactics
Things like automatically generating content or posting only to groups can appear like spam.
Your page was hacked or another admin violated policies
Sometimes another admin on your Page breaks Facebook rules without the main admin knowing. Or your account may have been compromised.
Another admin broke the rules
Any admin on a Page can post content or run ads. If they violate policy, the whole Page can get deleted.
Your account was hacked
If your login credentials were compromised, the hacker could have posted prohibited content or spammed to get the page deleted.
How to avoid getting your Facebook page deleted
Here are some tips to keep your Facebook page safe:
- Read and follow Facebook’s Terms of Service, Community Standards, and advertising policies.
- Avoid spammy tactics like automatically generated content, posting only to groups, or buying fake likes.
- Don’t post other people’s content without permission or otherwise violate copyright.
- Make sure any other admins are aware of Facebook’s rules.
- Use strong login credentials and two-factor authentication.
- Label ads and sponsored content clearly to comply with Facebook’s rules.
- Be transparent about your identity and purpose – don’t mislead people.
What to do if your Facebook page was deleted
If your page was wrongly deleted, here are some steps you can take:
Appeal the decision
Use Facebook’s appeals form to explain why you believe the deletion was an error. Provide as much detail as possible.
Check your email
Facebook may email you a reason for deleting your page. Make sure to check your spam folder.
Request human review
If your appeal is rejected but you think it was a mistake, you can request human review via the form.
Reach out to Facebook Concierge
This personalized support service may be able to look into what happened, especially for business accounts.
Run ads to get help
Sometimes running ads will give you access to live chat support who can investigate deletions.
Submit feedback
Use Facebook’s feedback form to report issues – select Page Quality > Removed in error.
Common questions about deleted Facebook pages
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:
How long does it take for Facebook to delete a page after being reported?
Facebook aims to review reported pages within 1-3 days. However, if multiple people report a page, it may be removed faster.
Can a deleted Facebook page be restored?
Yes, pages can be restored if the deletion was a mistake and you successfully appeal. But content is not saved, you start fresh.
Do all admins get notified if a Facebook page is deleted?
No. Only the page admin who submitted the appeal may receive notifications related to deletion appeals.
What happens to a Facebook business page if an account is disabled?
If the admin’s personal account is disabled for violations, their associated business pages and ads accounts will be removed too.
Can you tell who reported your Facebook page?
No. Facebook doesn’t share details on who submitted reports against pages to protect privacy.
Conclusion
Getting a page deleted can definitely be stressful, especially if it’s an important business or personal page. The best practices are to regularly review Facebook’s rules, be transparent about your identity and purpose, and avoid spammy growth tactics. Respond professionally to any violations reported, and be sure to use the appeals process if you feel the deletion was a mistake.
| Reason for Deletion | Prevention Tips |
|---|---|
| Community Standards violations | Carefully review Facebook’s rules and don’t post prohibited content |
| Advertising policy violations | Review advertisement policies and ensure ads comply |
| Platform manipulation | Use authentic engagement tactics and avoid spamming behavior |
| Mistaken spam identification | Avoid posting duplicate or low-quality content too rapidly |
| Account hacking | Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication |
By understanding the common reasons pages get removed and taking proactive steps to secure your account, you can avoid the headache of dealing with an undeserved deletion. Act responsibly, appeal politely, and know Facebook’s rules to keep your page protected.