Having your Facebook account suspended can be frustrating and concerning. There are a few common reasons why Facebook may suspend accounts, which we’ll explore in this article.
You violated Facebook’s Terms of Service or Community Standards
The most common reason for account suspension is violating Facebook’s Terms of Service or Community Standards. These rules outline what is and isn’t allowed on Facebook. Some examples of violations include:
- Sharing nude, violent, hateful, or otherwise objectionable content
- Bullying or harassing other users
- Creating fake or inauthentic accounts
- Spamming or artificially boosting distribution of posts
If Facebook detects you violating any of their rules, they may suspend your account temporarily or permanently, depending on the severity of the violation.
How to avoid violations
To avoid violations that lead to suspended accounts:
- Carefully review Facebook’s Terms of Service and Community Standards
- Don’t share content that is abusive, hateful, or explicit
- Don’t harass or threaten other users
- Use your authentic identity and don’t create fake accounts
- Don’t artificially boost distribution of posts
You’re suspected of suspicious activity
Facebook has advanced technology to detect suspicious behavior that may indicate hacking, spamming, or other bad intent. Some signals of suspicious activity that could get your account suspended include:
- Attempts to log in from multiple locations or devices
- Unusual spikes in distribution or sharing of content
- Messages sent with suspicious links or content
- Multiple accounts with similar names or attributes
If Facebook suspects foul play, they may preemptively suspend an account while they investigate. If your behavior checks out, they may reinstate your account.
How to avoid looking suspicious
To make sure your account doesn’t appear suspicious to Facebook:
- Only log into your account from trusted devices
- Don’t buy likes, followers, or shares
- Don’t share spammy or questionable links
- Use your real identity and attributes
You have multiple ad accounts or pages
Facebook limits the number of ad accounts and pages a single user can have. This is to prevent abusive advertising and spammy content.
If you exceed the limits, such as by having multiple ad accounts or managing too many pages, Facebook may suspend some or all of your accounts.
Facebook’s limits
- 5 ad accounts per user
- 50 pages per ad account
Stay under these limits to avoid issues. If you need more accounts or pages for legitimate purposes, you can request exceptions from Facebook.
Your account was hacked
Unfortunately, Facebook accounts do get hacked. Hackers may change passwords, send spam, or post offensive content from compromised accounts.
If Facebook detects suspicious activity, they’ll suspend the account until it can be secured. They do this to prevent further abuse.
How to secure and recover hacked accounts
If your account was hacked, take these steps:
- Use Facebook’s account recovery process to regain access
- Change your password to something strong and unique
- Enable two-factor authentication for added security
- Scan computers and mobile devices for malware
- Submit valid ID to prove account ownership if requested
Facebook should reinstate your account once you’ve regained control and proven you’re the legitimate owner.
You violated Facebook’s real-name policy
To create an account, you must provide your real first and last name as required by Facebook’s real-name policy. Using a fake name can get your account suspended.
Facebook’s policy aims to maintain authenticity and hold users accountable for their actions. Impersonating someone else or providing false personal information violates their rules.
Tips for following the real-name policy
- Use the name your friends and family know you by
- Avoid nicknames, pseudonyms, or shortened names
- Use a name consistent with your valid ID documents
- List your legal surname if you have one
If Facebook disables your account for using a fake name, submit valid ID to prove your identity and regain access.
Your account was incorrectly reported or flagged
Facebook relies heavily on users reporting inappropriate content or behavior. However, sometimes accounts get wrongly reported and suspended.
For example, a personal enemy may maliciously report your profile out of spite. Or your content may be misconstrued as offensive when it’s not.
What to do if wrongly reported
If you feel your account was incorrectly reported and disabled, take these steps:
- Appeal the suspension through Facebook’s form
- Explain in detail why the report was inaccurate
- Provide evidence supporting your explanation if possible
- Remain polite yet firm in communication with Facebook
- Allow time for Facebook to investigate and reinstate your account
With valid evidence and reasoning, Facebook should restore access to wrongly suspended accounts.
You posted illegal content
Facebook has zero tolerance for content related to illegal activity. They will suspend accounts immediately if they detect posts, images, videos, or other content linked to:
- Terrorism
- Child exploitation
- Revenge porn
- Threats of violence
- Sex trafficking
- Illegal gun and drug sales
These types of illegal content violate both Facebook’s policies and the law. Accounts face permanent disabling if caught sharing this type of objectionable material.
Why Facebook is so strict
Facebook aims to provide a safe community for users. They have zero tolerance for anything related to real-world harm or crime.
By taking swift action against illegal content, they also avoid liability issues that would come from enabling unlawful activities.
You have multiple account suspensions
If an account gets suspended repeatedly, Facebook may disable it permanently to prevent further abuse. Examples of situations where recurred suspensions lead to permanent bans:
- Creating new accounts after previous ones got disabled
- Continuing to violate policies across multiple accounts
- Attempts to buy, sell, or hack accounts
The more suspensions you accumulate, the less lenient Facebook will be. Too many strikes can make the bans permanent.
Best practices after being reinstated
If your account is reinstated after a suspension, be sure to:
- Review and understand Facebook’s rules
- Avoid the activity that got you suspended
- Post responsibly and respectfully
- Don’t try to open new accounts if banned
Following the rules after reinstatement reduces your risk of permanent disabling.
You posted content Facebook flagged as false
Facebook works to limit misinformation by detecting and flagging potentially false content. Sharing posts marked as false news or misinformation can get your account suspended.
This includes news identified as false by third-party fact checkers. Facebook bans accounts that repeatedly share debunked news and information.
Ensure content you share is accurate
To avoid posting false information:
- Check multiple credible sources before sharing news
- Look for official fact checking articles debunking rumors
- Don’t re-share stories that seem suspicious or too outrageous
Supplying accurate information sources to Facebook can help overturn incorrect false ratings on your posts.
You posted spam or clickbait content
Sharing excessive spammy content is frowned upon by Facebook. Types of posts considered spam include:
- Clickbait designed to drive clicks from newsfeed
- Low quality affiliate links and ad farms
- Mass friend requests and messages to strangers
- Repetitive irrelevant hashtags and captions
These types of spam posts degrade the Facebook experience for others. Accounts that spam constantly despite warnings run the risk of suspension.
Quality over quantity
Instead of spamming for attention, share posts that:
- Are relevant, interesting and unique
- Provide value for your connections
- Contribute to groups and discussions
- Promote products or services tactfully
Spam accounts try to game the system through shady tricks. Focus on quality connections and content instead.
You created a fan or parody account
Facebook disables accounts portraying another person, brand, organization, or entity. This includes fan, parody, commentary, and fake accounts.
By policy, Facebook does not allow impersonation or commenting as another entity without authorization. Doing so can lead to account suspension.
Guidelines for fan and parody accounts
To avoid violating Facebook’s impersonation policies:
- Get written permission from the entity you wish to represent
- Clearly state the account is unofficial in the bio and posts
- Avoid speaking as the entity you are portraying
- Comply if asked by Facebook or the entity to rename or close the account
Unofficial fan pages and parody accounts tread a fine line on Facebook. Proceed with caution.
You posted private or confidential information
Facebook removes accounts that share other people’s private or confidential information without consent. This includes:
- Contact info like addresses and phone numbers
- Identity documents
- Financial account details
- Medical records
- Children’s information
Posting someone’s personal information without permission raises privacy and safety concerns. Facebook bans accounts that disregard others’ privacy.
Always get consent
To avoid privacy violations:
- Don’t post others’ private data without documented consent
- Anonymize sensitive info by masking names and numbers
- Review social media privacy best practices
- Enable highest privacy settings on your profile
Think twice before sharing anything personal about someone else online.
You have a history of violations on other Facebook-owned platforms
Facebook can impose penalties across any of their platforms and services, including:
- Messenger
- Oculus
Violations you commit on any Facebook property may lead to restrictions or bans on your accounts across all their platforms.
Separate accounts, shared enforcement
To avoid cross-platform suspensions:
- Familiarize yourself with Facebook’s rules for all their services
- Maintain good standing across all your Facebook-connected accounts
- Don’t try to escape bans by switching platforms
Facebook’s umbrella enforcement means rule-breaking has consequences across their ecosystem.
Conclusion
Facebook account suspensions result from violating policies, suspicious behavior, or hazardous activity. The most common reasons include harassment, impersonation, illegal content, multiple account abuse, and spamming.
Avoid actions that breach Facebook’s rules and compromise safety. Take care to post responsibly, respect privacy, secure accounts, and behave authentically.
If suspended, you can appeal disabling and regain access in some cases. However, repeat offenders may face permanent bans from Facebook.
| Reason for Suspension | How to Avoid |
|---|---|
| Policy violations | Know and follow Facebook’s rules |
| Suspicious activity | Use accounts normally and take security precautions |
| Too many pages or ad accounts | Stay below Facebook’s account limits |
| Account hacking | Enable two-factor authentication |
| Fake name usage | Provide your real first and last name |