Facebook comments are a great way to interact with friends, family, and others on posts and photos. However, you may wonder whether the comments you leave are visible to just the original poster or to a wider audience.
The short answer is: It depends. Facebook gives you some control over the privacy of your comments. However, comments are often more public than you may realize. Here’s what you need to know about who can see your Facebook comments.
Are All Facebook Comments Public?
No, not all Facebook comments are public. When you comment on a post, you have the option to customize the audience for that comment.
When writing a comment, look for the audience selector underneath the comment box. It will likely say something like “Public” or “Friends” by default. Click on this selector to choose who can see your comment.
You can choose from the following comment privacy options:
- Public: Anyone on or off Facebook can see your comment
- Friends: Your friends on Facebook can see your comment
- Friends except acquaintances: Friends except acquaintances on Facebook can see your comment
- Only me: Only you can see your comment
- Custom: You select specific people who can see your comment
So if you want your comment to be completely private, choose the “Only me” option. Or if you only want some friends to see it, choose “Custom” and select just those friends.
What’s the Default Comment Visibility?
The default comment audience varies depending on where you’re commenting:
- Public post or Page: Default is Public
- Friend’s post: Default is Friends
- Private group: Default is group members only
- Your own post: Default is Friends
So if you comment on a public Page or an open post, your comment will be visible to anyone by default. You have to manually change the audience selector to something more private.
Can I Change the Default Comment Visibility?
Yes, you can change your default comment visibility in your Facebook settings:
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings
- Click “Default privacy settings for posts”
- Under “Comments,” choose your desired default privacy for comments
This will make comments on your own posts match your selected default. But it won’t change the defaults for commenting elsewhere, which are controlled by the original poster.
Can People Tag Me in Comments?
Yes, other people can tag you in a comment they leave on Facebook. When someone tags you, it creates a link to your profile and notifies you.
For example, if Mary left a comment “Hey @[John Smith], check this out!” on a public post, it would tag and notify you (John Smith) even if you aren’t friends with Mary.
You can control who can tag you in comments under Settings & Privacy > Settings > Timeline and Tagging.
Can I Delete or Edit My Comments?
Yes, you can delete or edit any comments you have left on Facebook:
- Delete: Hover over your comment and click the X icon
- Edit: Hover over your comment and click the pencil icon
However, you can only edit or delete comments for a limited time after posting. Once that time has passed, your comments are permanent.
Can Other People See Deleted Comments?
When you delete a Facebook comment, it is removed from public view. However, some people may still see a deleted comment:
- The original poster of what you commented on
- Anyone tagged in the deleted comment
- Anyone who has already interacted with the deleted comment
So while deleting a comment removes it from general sight, traces of it can still be visible to some.
Can I Limit Who Comments on My Posts?
Yes, you can restrict who is able to comment on your posts on Facebook:
- When creating a post, click the audience selector (e.g. Public, Friends)
- Choose Custom Privacy instead of a general audience
- Uncheck the box next to “Enable commenting”
This will disable comments on that post for everyone except you. You can also limit commenting to a custom list of people you select.
Can I Turn Off Commenting on My Profile?
There isn’t a way to completely disable commenting across your entire Facebook profile. However, you have a few options to limit comments:
- Turn off commenting post-by-post, as explained above
- Block certain people from interacting with your profile
- Adjust your overall privacy settings
- Delete negative or abusive comments as they occur
Conclusion
Facebook commenting can feel like a public conversation, but you have more control than you think. Pay attention to each comment’s audience selector and adjust your default comment privacy in Settings. Limit tagging abilities and disable commenting on a post-by-post basis for more control.
While comments can feel extremely public, you can take steps to shape your commenting experience on Facebook.
Some key points to remember:
- Facebook comments are not all public by default – you can customize comment privacy
- The default visibility depends on where you are commenting (public post, friend’s post, etc)
- Change your default comment privacy in Settings for your own posts
- You can delete or edit comments for a limited time after posting
- Deleted comments may still be visible to some people
- You can restrict commenting on individual posts, but not your entire profile
Facebook comments need not be an “all or nothing” situation. You have tools to shape your commenting experience. Use privacy settings, limit tagging, and disable commenting on posts to gain more control. Understanding Facebook’s commenting features is key to managing your interactions.
| Type of Post | Default Comment Visibility |
|---|---|
| Public post or Page | Public |
| Friend’s post | Friends |
| Private group | Group members only |
| Your own post | Friends |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I prevent specific people from commenting on my posts?
Yes, you can block people from interacting with your posts and profile. Go to their profile, click the three dots in the top right, and select Block. This will prevent them from commenting on or seeing your future posts.
What if I accidentally set a comment to public that I want to be private?
Don’t worry, you can easily change the audience after posting a comment. Just hover over your comment and click the ellipses (…) icon. Choose Edit Privacy and change who can see the comment.
Can I report inappropriate or abusive comments?
Absolutely. Hover over any comment and click the ellipses (…) icon. Choose Find Support or Report Comment to report it to Facebook. This will help remove unwanted or harassing comments.
How do I know if someone else has blocked me from commenting?
If you try to comment on someone’s post who has blocked you, you will get an error saying only certain people can comment or your comment could not be posted. This indicates you have likely been blocked.
Can I sue someone for posting an inappropriate comment about me?
You may be able to take legal action if someone posts libelous, defamatory, or threatening comments about you. Consult a lawyer regarding your specific situation. Facebook also provides tools to report harassment and abusive content.
5 Tips for Managing Your Facebook Comments
- Customize comment privacy instead of defaulting to Public
- Change default comment visibility to Friends or stricter for your posts
- Limit tagging abilities in Settings & Privacy
- Disable commenting on a per-post basis for content you don’t want commented on
- Delete or report troublesome comments immediately
The Takeaway on Facebook Comment Visibility
Facebook comments can feel uncomfortably public, but you have more control than you think. Use custom privacy settings, limit tagging, and disable open commenting to curate positive interactions. Don’t forget to report abusive comments too.
While comments may seem wide open, you can take back control over who sees what. Pay close attention to the default visibility settings when first posting a comment. Then adjust broader privacy settings and commenting ability to gain more oversight.
Facebook commenting should be an engaging, but also controlled experience. Use the tools available to shape it into something enjoyable!