Facebook is Meta's free social network for connecting with friends, family and communities who share your interests, through posts, photos, videos, stories, messages, Groups, events, Pages and Marketplace. Facebook's Terms of Service say you don't pay to use it because businesses and organisations pay Meta to show you ads, and you must be at least 13 to sign up.
Meta's own Facebook app page sums it up as a way to connect with friends and family and discover new people, with features like Groups, Watch and Marketplace. The Terms describe Meta's mission as giving people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.
The Terms answer the money question more plainly than most people expect. Meta says it doesn't sell your personal data to advertisers, and it doesn't share information that directly identifies you, such as your name or email address, unless you give specific permission. You keep ownership of what you post, but you give Meta a licence to use it to run the service. As of October 2026, the Terms in force are dated 1 January 2025, and Meta says updated Terms apply from 20 January 2027.
What Facebook includes, according to its Terms
Section 1 of the Terms lists the services Meta says it provides. Here's the short version.
| Service | What the Terms say it covers |
|---|---|
| A personalised experience | The posts, stories, events, ads and other content in Facebook Feed and the video platform, the Pages you follow, and features such as Marketplace and search |
| Connecting with people | Suggestions for groups to join, events to attend, Pages to follow or message, shows to watch and people you may want to be friends with |
| Expressing yourself | Status updates, photos, videos and stories, messages, voice and video calls, creating events or groups, and insights on how others engage with your content |
| Discovering products | Personalised ads and offers from the businesses and organisations that use Facebook |
| Safety and integrity | Teams and systems that detect misuse and harmful conduct, and respond to reports |
| Accessibility and technology | Tools such as AI that help people with visual impairments understand what's in photos and videos |
| Working across Meta apps | Using who you engage with on Facebook to help you connect on Instagram or Messenger |
If you're joining for the first time, my walkthrough on how to create a Facebook account covers sign-up step by step.
Why you don't pay for Facebook
The Terms are direct about it. Instead of paying, you agree that Meta can show you personalised ads and commercial content that businesses and organisations pay to promote on and off Meta's apps. Meta uses your personal data, such as your activity and interests, to choose which ads you see.
Advertisers don't get your name. The Terms say they tell Meta their business goal and the audience they want, for example people aged 18 to 35 who like cycling, and Meta shows the ad to people it thinks might be interested. Advertisers then get reports with general demographic and interest information about who saw the ad.
One permission surprises people. You allow Meta to use your name, profile picture and actions on Facebook next to ads, without paying you. The Terms give the example of showing your friends that you're interested in an advertised event, or that you've liked a Page from a brand that pays for ads. Only people who already have permission to see that action can see it.
Who can use Facebook
Facebook Help says most countries and states require you to be at least 13, but some set a higher minimum age:
| Where you live | Minimum age |
|---|---|
| Most countries and states | 13 |
| South Korea | 14 |
| Quebec, Canada | 14 |
| Spain | 14 |
| Florida, US | 14 |
| Australia | 16 |
The Terms add other rules. You can't use Facebook if you're under 13, if you're a convicted sex offender, if Meta has disabled your account before for breaking its Terms or Community Standards, or if the law bars you from its services. You must use the name you use in everyday life, give accurate information, create only one account of your own, and never share your password or hand your account to someone else.
In some regions you'll be asked to confirm your age. Facebook Help says you can do that with your date of birth, photo ID or a video selfie, and Meta works with Yoti, a third-party age verification service. The information you provide isn't shown on your profile. For the full rules, see how old you have to be to have Facebook.
Teen Accounts on Facebook
Facebook Help says teens are automatically put into protective Teen Account settings, and these are being rolled out gradually, so one teen in a family may get them before another. Teen Accounts limit who can contact teens on Messenger.
- Teens aged 13 to 15: once a parent or guardian is added to supervise, the teen needs that adult's approval to make audience, content or time settings less protective.
- Teens aged 16 to 17: they can manage most of their own settings unless supervision is set up.
- Time reminders: by default, Facebook reminds teens to close the app after 1 hour in a day, and sleep mode reminds them to close it from 22:00 to 07:00. A supervising parent can change these or choose to block use instead.
For all minors, Facebook Help says it keeps sensitive details such as contact info, school and date of birth out of public search, and reminds them to only accept friend requests from people they know.
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What you can't do on Facebook
Section 3 of the Terms lists conduct that isn't allowed. You may not use Facebook to share anything that:
- Breaks the Terms, the Community Standards or other policies that apply to you.
- Is unlawful, misleading, discriminatory or fraudulent.
- You don't own or have the rights to share, or that infringes someone's copyright or trademark.
You also can't upload viruses, send spam, collect data by automated means without permission, ask for other people's usernames or passwords, or misuse reporting and appeals. Meta can remove content that breaks these rules, and suspend or disable accounts. If it removes something for breaking the Community Standards, it says it will usually tell you and explain how to ask for another review. More in my guide to the Facebook Community Standards.
Your posts, your rights and deleting them
You keep ownership of the copyright in anything you create and share. The Terms say you grant Meta a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide licence to host, use, distribute, copy, display and translate it, consistent with your privacy settings. So if you share a photo, Meta can store, copy and share it with others in line with who you've allowed to see it.
You can delete individual posts at any time, and deleting your account deletes what's on your personal account. The Terms say it can take up to 90 days to delete content once the process starts, and anything you send to the bin starts deleting automatically after 30 days. Account deletion doesn't remove content you posted as a Page admin, or shared albums other people still use. Meta also says it may disable accounts that are never confirmed or stay unused for a long time.
My take for new Facebook users
Facebook is free, but you pay with attention and data, and the Terms say so in writing. I'd join with your real everyday name, because that's a rule, not a suggestion, and keep one account only. Check your privacy and ad settings early, since those decide who can see your posts and how your activity appears next to ads. If you're a parent, find out the minimum age where you live, because it's 16 in Australia, not 13.
Frequently asked questions
What is Facebook used for?
People use Facebook to connect with friends, family and communities, share posts, photos, videos and stories, send messages, join Groups, create events, follow Pages and use Marketplace.
Is Facebook free?
Yes. Facebook's Terms of Service say Meta doesn't charge you to use it. Instead, businesses and organisations pay Meta to show you ads that it thinks are relevant to you.
How old do you have to be to use Facebook?
At least 13 in most countries and states. Facebook Help lists 14 in South Korea, Quebec, Spain and Florida, and 16 in Australia.
Who owns what I post on Facebook?
You do. The Terms say you keep ownership of the intellectual property in content you create and share, but you grant Meta a worldwide licence to use it to provide its services.
Is Facebook the same as Meta?
Meta Platforms, Inc. is the company that provides Facebook. Its Terms of Service cover Facebook, Messenger and other Meta Products, while Instagram has its own separate Terms of Use.
What is a teen account on Facebook?
A Teen Account puts teens into protective default settings, including limits on who can contact them on Messenger and daily time reminders. Facebook Help says these are being rolled out gradually.
