Reducing the distribution of problematic content

UPDATED

MAY 18, 2023

If content on Facebook doesn't violate the Facebook Community Standards, but might still be problematic or otherwise low-quality, Meta may reduce its distribution, consistent with user controls. This is one element of our broader "remove, reduce, inform" strategy that we've used since 2016.

Categories of problematic content we reduce

Our goals for reducing problematic content are based on the needs of our community. This work is focused on various types of problematic content in Feed, including reducing problematic comments on public posts from Pages and people. Here’s how we approach this process, along with some categories of problematic content we reduce.

Through the Feed Preferences settings, people can increase the degree to which we demote much of this content so they see less of it in their Feed. Or if preferred, they can turn many of these demotions off entirely. They can also choose to maintain our current demotions.

Responding to people’s direct feedback

We often ask people about their experiences on Facebook, and we use surveys to better inform what we build. We consider people’s responses, as well as signals such as what they like, dislike, comment on or share. Based on this feedback, here are some types of problematic content we address:

Incentivizing publishers to invest in high-quality content

We want people to have interesting, new material to engage with, so we work to set incentives that encourage the creation of high-quality content. And we disincentivize, for example:

Fostering a safer community

There is some content that individual people may want to see, but that others may find problematic, so we make it harder to encounter. This includes:

Our standards for recommending content

To help people discover new content and communities, we make personalized recommendations for people on Facebook and Instagram. Our Recommendations Guidelines serve as our baseline standards for the types of content we recommend.

Facebook

Facebook may recommend content, accounts and entities—such as Pages, Groups or Events—that people don’t already follow. This includes:

  • Pages You May Like.

  • Groups You Should Join.

  • “Suggested For You” posts.

  • People You May Know.

Instagram

Instagram may recommend accounts or content that people don’t already follow. This includes:

  • “Suggested For You” posts.

  • “Suggested For You” accounts.

  • Content on Reels and Explore.

Facebook
Instagram

Facebook may recommend content, accounts and entities—such as Pages, Groups or Events—that people don’t already follow. This includes:

  • Pages You May Like.

  • Groups You Should Join.

  • “Suggested For You” posts.

  • People You May Know.

Instagram may recommend accounts or content that people don’t already follow. This includes:

  • “Suggested For You” posts.

  • “Suggested For You” accounts.

  • Content on Reels and Explore.

Our Recommendations Guidelines are another important tool for managing problematic content on Facebook and Instagram. Because recommended content doesn’t come from accounts or entities people choose to follow, we work to avoid making recommendations that may be low-quality, objectionable, sensitive or inappropriate for younger viewers.