Facebook's Community Standards are Meta's rules for what is and isn't allowed on Facebook, and the same standards cover Instagram, Messenger and Threads. Break them and Meta removes the post and may add a strike to your account. For most violations the first strike is only a warning, but restrictions build up from there, from feature limits to a 30-day block on posting.
Two details change how worried you should be about an old strike. Meta says it won't count strikes on most violating content posted more than 90 days ago (four years for more severe violations), and every strike on Facebook or Instagram expires after one year. So a single warning from last year isn't hanging over you forever.
What the Community Standards are for
Meta describes the standards as rules built on feedback from people and advice from experts in technology, public safety and human rights. Its stated goal is to give people a voice and only limit expression to protect four values:
| Value | What Meta says it means |
|---|---|
| Authenticity | People shouldn't misrepresent who they are or what they're doing |
| Safety | Content that could contribute to physical harm, or threatens people, isn't allowed |
| Privacy | Protecting personal privacy and information |
| Dignity | Everyone is equal in dignity and rights, so no harassing or degrading others |
The standards apply to everyone, everywhere, and to every kind of content, including AI-generated content. Each section starts with a policy rationale, then lists what's not allowed, what needs extra context to judge, what's allowed behind a warning screen, and what's only visible to adults aged 18 and over.
One detail matters if you read the rules in another language: Meta says the US English version is the most up-to-date set of policies and should be treated as the primary document.
How Facebook strikes are counted
- Not every removal is a strike. Whether Meta applies one depends on how severe the content is, the context and when it was posted.
- Pages and groups can share the strike. If you posted to a Page or group you manage, the strike may count against that Page or group too. Group admins can also pick up strikes for violating posts they approve.
- Several removals can count as one. If Meta removes multiple pieces of content at once without notifying you for each, it may count them as a single strike.
- Some removals don't count at all. Meta's example is someone sharing their own financial information, which it removes to prevent fraud but doesn't treat as a strike.
- Old content has a time limit. No strike for most violating content posted over 90 days ago, or over four years ago for more severe violations.
- Strikes expire. All strikes on Facebook or Instagram expire after one year.
- The worst violations skip the ladder. Some content, such as child sexual exploitation, gets an account, Page or group disabled after one occurrence.
What happens at each strike level
This is the table people are usually looking for. For most violations on Facebook, Meta applies these restrictions:
| Strikes | Restriction on Facebook |
|---|---|
| One | A warning, with no further restriction |
| Two to six | Restricted from specific features, like posting in groups, for a limited time |
| Seven | One-day restriction from creating content (posting, commenting, creating a Page and more) |
| Eight | 3-day restriction from creating content |
| Nine | 7-day restriction from creating content |
| Ten or more | 30-day restriction from creating content |
Meta notes that while strikes are counted on both Facebook and Instagram, these restrictions only apply to Facebook accounts. They can also be extended to Pages that represent an individual, like a celebrity or political figure.
For more severe policies, such as dangerous individuals and organisations or adult sexual exploitation, Meta may add longer restrictions on top, starting from the first strike. Its examples are being blocked from creating ads or using Facebook Live for set periods. Keep posting violating content after repeated warnings and Meta says it will disable the account.
Pages and groups get their own penalties
Pages and groups that repeatedly break the rules may be removed from recommendations and have their reach reduced. Pages can lose access to certain monetisation features, and groups may be made to have an admin approve every post. If you manage either, Page Quality and Group Quality show the violations and restrictions. This is different from being restricted by a friend on Facebook, which is about who sees your posts, not a penalty from Meta.
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How to check your strikes and appeal
- Open Account Status on Facebook or Instagram. Meta says it shows your history of violations, some restrictions on your account and how long they'll last.
- If you manage a Page or group, open Page Quality or Group Quality instead.
- If you think Meta got it wrong, tell it in the app. Meta says that if the content did follow the standards, it'll restore the post and remove the strike and restriction.
YouTube uses its own strike rules, which I've explained in how YouTube Community Guidelines strikes work if you post on both.
My advice
Don't panic over one strike. For most violations it's a warning and it expires after a year. What hurts is stacking them: by the seventh you lose the ability to post for a day, and the penalties climb fast after that. If you run a Page or a group, check Page Quality or Group Quality once a month, appeal anything you think is wrong straight away, and be careful what you approve as an admin, because those strikes can land on the group.
Frequently asked questions
What are Facebook's Community Standards?
They're Meta's rules for what is and isn't allowed on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Threads, built around four values: authenticity, safety, privacy and dignity. They apply to all content, including AI-generated content.
How long do Facebook strikes last?
Meta says all strikes on Facebook or Instagram expire after one year.
How many strikes before Facebook restricts you?
For most violations, one strike is a warning, two to six bring feature limits, and seven or more bring posting restrictions of one day, 3 days, 7 days and then 30 days.
Can old posts get me a strike?
For most violations, Meta won't count strikes on content posted more than 90 days ago. For more severe violations the limit is four years.
Where can I see my Facebook violations?
Open Account Status on Facebook. Page and group managers can use Page Quality or Group Quality.
