Picture this:
You’re taking a break and mindlessly scrolling through Facebook…when wham!
Out of nowhere, a seriously explicit picture shows up on your newsfeed.
You look away immediately, but imagine how much damage that one image can cause to a child who sees it. Or people who are struggling with porn.
Facebook has a no-nudity or sexual content policy. But from our experience (and probably yours too), we know that A LOT OF explicit content slips through the cracks.
The good news? You can take control and effectively block inappropriate content on Facebook, putting an end to these persistent stragglers once and for all.
So whether you have kids you want to protect or if you want to steer clear of pornographic material yourself, here’s how you can do it!
Table of Contents
- Why Am I Seeing Inappropriate Videos on Facebook? 4 Reasons Graphic Content Reaches Your Screen
- How to Block Adult Content on Facebook – 3 Methods You Can Choose From
- Simple Ways to Reduce Inappropriate Content on Facebook (Practical Tips)
- What Are The Risks of Facebook for Kids?
- Frequently Asked Questions About Online Safety on Facebook
- Conclusion – Take Action for A Safer Facebook Experience
Why Am I Seeing Inappropriate Videos on Facebook? 4 Reasons Graphic Content Reaches Your Screen
There are four main reasons why explicit images and videos still pop up on your Facebook.
#1: There are SO MANY Facebook Accounts
There are over THREE BILLION active users on Facebook today.
While Facebook has both manual and automatic systems for detecting explicit images on its platform, you can imagine how difficult it is to keep tabs on all three billion accounts.
To make matters worse, even if Facebook bans someone, that same person can simply create another account and keep posting banned content.
#2: People Find Ways to Post Porn
It might sound crazy, but there are actually people who study how Facebook bans explicit content, and then find ways to get around Facebook’s blockade.
They trick Facebook’s algorithm into thinking they are posting safe content. And it’s only through manual reporting that Facebook finds these posts.
This is why it’s so important to report inappropriate content on Facebook when you see it!
#3: People Send it Through Private Channels
One of the ways that people sneakily bypass Facebook’s monitoring is by sending inappropriate content through private channels.
It’s much more difficult for Facebook to catch these when it’s not a public post.
That’s why it’s best to avoid adding or messaging people you don’t know.
#4: Facebook Can Be Slow to Take Down Graphic Content
Last but not least, Facebook isn’t perfect.
Even if you report and block inappropriate content the moment you see it, this doesn’t mean it immediately gets taken off Facebook’s platform.
Instead, it might stay up for a few days (even weeks) and more people will be exposed to it during this time.
That’s why it’s so important NOT to rely on Facebook’s anti-nudity and sexual content policies — they’re FAR from perfect.
Instead, here’s how you can take matters into your own hands and block inappropriate content yourself!
How to Block Adult Content on Facebook - 3 Methods You Can Choose From
There are generally three ways you can block and/or avoid adult content on Facebook.
Let’s go through them one by one.
Method #1: Use Facebook’s Built-in Settings
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By default, Facebook is supposed to block out adult content.
But as we all know, it doesn’t always do the greatest job at this.
That’s why it’s worthwhile to go into your Facebook settings and make a few tweaks to help Facebook filter posts you don’t want to see better.
Here are a few ways to do it:
Reduce Sensitive Content
1. Click on your profile picture on the top right of the screen, and select “Settings & Privacy.”
2. Choose “Content preferences.”
3. Select “Manage defaults.”
4. Change the settings for “Sensitive content” from “default” to “Show less.”
It sometimes takes several reports before Facebook takes sensitive content off the platform.
However, by adjusting your content preferences, you may not see any potentially sensitive content at all.
Report and Block Sensitive Ads
If you see an advertisement with graphic content, don’t just scroll past it! You’ll want to report this to Facebook and update your preferences.
Again, Facebook is supposed to block these by default, but it doesn’t always work. That’s why you can help out by reporting any graphic content you see in advertisements.
Here’s how:
1. Click on the three dots in the top-right corner of the ad, and select “Report Ad.”
2. Choose the reason you want to report the ad. You’ll be asked a few questions.
3. You can also opt to block the advertiser so that you won’t see any of their ads again.
You can also opt out of seeing related ads.
Method #2: Use a Browser Plugin
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Another way you can block adult content on Facebook is by installing a browser plugin.
If you’re using a popular browser like Google Chrome, you should find several porn blockers in the plugin store.
All you have to do is:
1. Head to the Chrome web store (or wherever you can get plugins for your preferred browser).
2. Search for “Porn Blocker.”
3. Install the plugin.
4. Check the plugin’s settings to see if it can block explicit images.
The main issue with this method is that most free browser plugins are only capable of blocking entire websites. If you use these, you might not be able to use Facebook at all!
That’s why if ever you go this route, you’ll need a premium plugin that can detect explicit images inside websites and block them.
Method #3: Use an External App
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The most effective way to block inappropriate content is by installing a good porn blocker software or app such as Bulldog Blocker.
These apps can detect explicit images before they reach your screen, so you never have to see any of them on Facebook or anywhere else on the internet.
Best of all, you don’t have to block the entire Facebook. Apps like Bulldog Blocker can identify adult content inside Facebook itself and block it there. Any inappropriate content that slips through Facebook’s ban will immediately be blocked by your porn-blocking software.
However, keep in mind that not all external porn blockers are built the same.
When choosing one, make sure you go for an app that can detect explicit content — and not just apps that block entire websites.
This way, you’ll still be able to use Facebook as normal. But you’ll also have peace of mind knowing that you or your children won’t run into any adult content while browsing.
Simple Ways to Reduce Inappropriate Content on Facebook (Practical Tips)
Aside from blocking adult content on Facebook, there are also a handful of simple ways you can reduce your chances of running into adult content on Facebook.
Here are some tips!
1. Avoid Adding People You Don’t Know – There are MANY spam accounts on Facebook. Oftentimes, these accounts will send you inappropriate content through private messages — where it’s much harder for Facebook to moderate what goes through. A simple way to avoid this is to make sure you and your children are only friends with people you know.
2. Leave Unmoderated Groups – Facebook groups are another place where a lot of adult content gets shared. Good, active groups have moderators who make sure everything that gets posted is clean and safe. However, inactive groups can have a lot of spam posters, including people who post pornographic materials. If you or your children are part of an inactive group, leave the group before someone starts spam posting!
3. Block and Report Any Person/Page That Posts Adult Content – Always block and report pages that post inappropriate content! Not only does blocking ensure you won’t see the page’s content again, but reporting also helps Facebook identify and remove adult content from its platform.
4. Double-Check Your Privacy Settings – By default, only your friends can tag you in posts. However, if you’ve played around with settings in the past, you may want to double-check this. This way, random pages can’t tag you on posts that you don’t want to see.
5. NEVER Click On Suspicious Links – If something feels off about a link, DON’T click it. A lot of times, people don’t post porn directly on Facebook — they instead post links to porn sites on the platform. That’s why you should avoid clicking suspicious links at all times — even if someone you know posted it. (They might have been hacked!)
What Are The Risks of Facebook for Kids?
Even though Facebook allows anyone 13 years old or above to open an account, this does not necessarily mean it’s a safe place for younger audiences.
- Explicit Content – There is so much explicit content that slips through the cracks that can affect their young minds. Being exposed to inappropriate images and videos at a young age can develop your children’s emotional development.
- Cyberbullying and Predators – Aside from adult content, children on Facebook can also easily be exposed to cyberbullying and predatory behaviors. That’s why it’s critical to check your child’s account once in a while to make sure they’re only friends with people they know, they’re not messaging strangers, and they’re not following any harmful pages.
- Privacy Concerns – If you’re not careful, there is so much information that people can collect from your Facebook account. That’s why it’s critical to ensure that your and your child’s accounts have the right safety settings. You can check and adjust your safety settings by going to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Privacy Checkup.
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Safety on Facebook
How do I get rid of inappropriate photos on Facebook?
1. Hit the three dots on the top-right corner of the post.
2. Click on “hide post.”
You may also snooze the person who posted the image, block the poster, or report the photo to Facebook to have it taken down.
Does Facebook remove inappropriate content?
Yes. However, it can sometimes take days or even weeks before Facebook identifies inappropriate content and takes it down.
You can help speed up the process by reporting any inappropriate content that you run into on Facebook.
How do I stop seeing things I don’t follow on Facebook?
Your Facebook feed is a mix of posts your friends share, posts that your friends interact with, and advertisements.
You can always click on the three dots on the top-right corner of the post and select “Not Interested” if you want to see less of a certain type of post. You can also snooze seeing a particular friend’s activity.
How can I permanently block adult content on Facebook?
The best way to block adult content is by using an external software or app like Bulldog Blocker.
Facebook deletes inappropriate content, but it can take them a long time to do so.
If you want to protect your child or your own eyes from adult content right away, apps like Bulldog Blocker will do the trick for you.
Conclusion - Take Action for A Safer Facebook Experience!
Facebook has three BILLION users.
That’s why no matter how many awesome and productive things get posted on the platform, there’s always going to be a dozen bad and inappropriate pictures and videos in the mix.
And while Facebook scrambles to remove as many of these as possible, you can take action to make sure you never have to see any of it anymore.
So follow these methods and enjoy Facebook free from inappropriate content today!
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