Facebook developed algorithms that automatically filter the comments on posts to improve authentic conversations. This function is part of a wider framework called comment ranking.
Facebook argues that filtering comments weeds out spam and unwanted responses from “rogue” users. However, some view it as an attempt to suppress valuable comments, and they’d rather view all comments in chronological order without some random algorithm deciding what’s important and what’s not.
If you want to stop Facebook from filtering comments on your personal profile, business page, or favorite group, you can do so in just a few steps. This article will show you how to change the filter comment sections on your Facebook page.
Can You Stop Facebook From Filtering Comments?
If you are a page Admin or Moderator, you can change the page’s settings to stop filtering comments. But if you aren’t, you’ll need to change the filter settings on each post manually. As for personal profiles, you can go into the settings to turn the filtering option off for all posts.
Although the system has complex algorithms that work in the background, Facebook filters comments using these parameters:
- Comments with the highest engagement rate appear first.
- Responses that are unrelated to a post are pushed further back.
- Offensive comments are either pushed back or deleted from the platform.
You don’t have to use comment ranking. You can switch it off and view the complete, undiluted list of comments, however controversial they might be. Don’t forget that you may have profanity or keyword filters in place, which will still hide certain replies/comments.
Let’s see how you can do it.
How to Stop Facebook From Filtering Comments on a Facebook Page
Suppose you’re the Admin of a Facebook page. For Facebook profile filtering, see content further down the article. Comment filtering can help you create a more organized page, avoid spammers, and prioritize meaningful engagement that adds value to your business and customers. It can also protect the credibility of your brand by removing unpleasant or negative views that might distract your audience.
But comment filtering can also hinder your quest to improve your product or service. It can force you to unintentionally fail to carry out your promise to always listen to your customers and act on their requests.
Luckily, you can turn off filtered comments on Facebook Pages in just a few steps.
If you’re using a desktop computer:
- Open your “Facebook Page” and click “Settings” in the bottom left corner.
- Click on “General.”
- Scroll down and click “Edit” to the right of “Comment Ranking.”
- Uncheck “See most relevant comments by default” and click “Save changes.”
People who visit your Facebook page and view your posts will see all comments rather than a filtered view. Of course, you can enable this option and let other users decide how to view comments. We’ll explain that a bit more below.
If you’re using the Facebook mobile app, you won’t see the option to change comment ranking on Facebook Pages. However, you can change the profanity filter and unblock keywords. Here’s what to do:
- Navigate to your page and tap the “gear icon” in the top right corner to open the settings section.
- Tap on “General.”
- Scroll down and tap on “Content Moderation.”
- Turn off the “Profanity Filter.”
- Under “Page Moderation,” delete any word or phrase you don’t want Facebook’s algorithms to hide, then click “Save changes.”
By taking these steps, you’ll open the page for all users, including those using what might be considered offensive language. The good thing about such a move is that you’ll be able to identify critical issues that can improve your business, even if the words or phrases used by your clients aren’t appropriate.
How to Stop Facebook From Filtering Comments on a Facebook Profile
Comment filtering isn’t just used on Facebook pages; it’s also activated for personal and business profiles. If you’ve managed to attract followers and grow your audience, Facebook might filter some comments with profane or inappropriate language. You also get ranked comments, where Facebook chooses what comments to display first rather than showing all of them in order.
Stopping Facebook comment filtering on personal and business profiles comes with consequences. For example, you may end up stunting the growth of your brand because some users decide to walk away if they realize their voices aren’t being heard. In addition, this setting may impact the user engagement rate on your Facebook wall, denying you the chance to expand your reach and take advantage of Facebook’s algorithms that automatically increase the exposure of popular posts.
For personal profiles, disabling comment filtering can add fluff to your post, making friends move on to the next one in their feeds and reducing profile engagement.
Regardless of any negative impacts that disabling comment filtering has, it still allows you to see everything except those with any filtered phrases you have put in place.
Luckily, turning off comment filtering on personal profiles is straightforward.
Turning Off Comment filtering on Facebook Profiles using Windows/Mac
If you’re using a Windows or Mac desktop, do the following:
- Click on your “profile icon” in the top-right section, then select “Settings & Privacy” from the dropdown menu.
- Click on “Settings.”
- Select “Public posts” in the “Settings” menu on the left.
- Toggle off “Comment Ranking” in the main section.
Turning Off Comment filtering on Facebook Profiles using Android/iOS
If you’re running Facebook on an Android phone/tablet or iOS iPhone/iPad device, do the follwing:
- Tap the “hamburger icon” (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner.
- Tap on “Settings & Privacy.”
- Tap on “Settings.”
- Select “Followers and Public Content.”
- Turn “Comment Ranking” off.
When comment ranking is toggled off, all responses to your public posts will be displayed chronologically. All comments will be visible, including potential spam.
How to Stop Facebook From Filtering Comments as a User
If you don’t want Facebook to rank or filter comments on your favorite Facebook page, popular profile, or group, you can only remove these restrictions per post. In other words, you’ll need to disable comment filtering in every post that appears in your Feed. This can be time-consuming, but it lets you view all the comments a post has attracted and better assess your engagement rate.
Here’s how to do it:
- Navigate to the post of interest.
- Click on the tab that shows the number of comments the post has received.
- Click on the “down arrow” in the bottom right of the post, right below the “Share” button. This will open the comment ranking dropdown menu, which is automatically set to “Most Relevant.”
- Click on “All comments.”
And that’s it. All comments will now be displayed below the post in chronological order.
You can also choose to see all comments in order on a mobile device. Here’s what to do:
- Navigate to the Facebook post and tap on “Comments.”
- Tap the “dropdown” above the comments.
- Select “All Comments.”
Now, you will see all the comments, good and bad, on the post.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although Facebook, like most other social media sites, offers tools to make the space more harmonious, you can tailor your page the way you want. Keep reading for more information about Facebook comment filtering.
How do I turn on or off the profanity filter?
You can make executive decisions like hiding offensive words if you’re a Page Admin. Here is what to do:
1. Follow the steps above to open your “Page settings” and click “General.”
2. Next to “Page Moderation,” you can add a list of words to block in your comments section. If you want to delete them, click “Delete All.”
3. If you want to ban all profanity, you can check the box next to “Profanity Filter.” Uncheck the box if you want to remove the filter.
Expand Your Reach
Facebook is a powerful social media platform that can help your business grow. Still, its comment filtering tools can limit your reach and stop you from engaging every user that demonstrates an interest in your brand, even if they don’t appear happy or satisfied.
Do you run a popular page or profile on Facebook? What’s your opinion about Facebook’s decision to filter certain comments?
Let us know in the comments section below.
Disclaimer: Some pages on this site may include an affiliate link. This does not effect our editorial in any way.
