• Home
  • News
  • Coins2Day 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechCommunity Guidelines

Facebook updated its community standards — here’s what you can (and can’t) post

By
TIME
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
TIME
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 16, 2015, 9:30 AM ET
Photo courtesy: Robyn Beck — AFP/Getty Images

This post is in partnership with Time. The article below originally appeared at Time.com.

By Justin Worland, TIME

What constitutes hate speech? When does the portrayal of violence become the glorification of violence? Does a bare buttocks count as nudity? What about if it’s blurred? Thoughtful people may have different answers to these questions. After complaints mounted about unclear policies and inconsistent enforcement, Facebook (FB) now has answers for its 1.3 billion users. The company clarified its community standards for posts on the platform in a post Sunday.

“It’s a challenge to maintain one set of standards that meets the needs of a diverse global community,” wrote head of global golicy management Monika Bickert and deputy general counsel Chris Sonderby. “For one thing, people from different backgrounds may have different ideas about what’s appropriate to share.”

So here are a few things you should know:

Nudity

Facebook has never allowed nudity, but users have had difficulty interpreting what that means. Now the company says posts with “genitals or fully exposed buttocks” will be taken down. “Some images” of breasts are restricted if they show a nipple, but photos of women breastfeeding will always be ok.

Hate speech

Hate speech is pretty much always prohibited, unless you’re posting about hate speech to “challenge ideas, institutions, and practices.” If you do plan to post hate speech to educate your friends, make sure to “clearly indicate” that’s your goal or else risk having it taken down. Facebook also allows you to make make humorous posts about hate speech if you want to ridicule it.

Regulated goods (like drugs, alcohol and guns)

Facebook says “unauthorized dealers” cannot buy or sell marijuana and other drugs via the platform, which seems to still leave some ambiguity over who qualifies as authorized. Alcohol and guns are OK to market, but you can’t collect payment via Facebook tools.

Criminal activity

This is a no-brainer. You can’t promote a crime, threaten a public figure or participate in terrorist activity on Facebook. The site will turn you over to the authorities.

About the Author
By TIME
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Coins2Day 500
  • Global 500
  • Coins2Day 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Coins2Day Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Coins2Day Brand Studio
  • Coins2Day Analytics
  • Coins2Day Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Coins2Day
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Coins2Day Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Coins2Day Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.