It’s extortion I won’t agree to.
Facebook holds you for ransom.
Facebook doesn’t show you all the posts from pages you follow unless those pages PAY for the privilege of being seen more widely.
Facebook is also now randomly and capriciously taking down legitimate posts for so-called “policy violations”.
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As an online publisher, this is incredibly frustrating. I’m loath to waste more time trying to appease the Facebook AI/Algorithm/gods/whatever-magic-they-use.
Sign up for Confident Computing via email instead. You’ll get what you asked for every Tuesday. No algorithms. No AI. No monkeying about with what you should and should not see.
There are over 12,000 people who’ve told Facebook they want to see what I post there. Yet in the past month the highest number of people who’ve seen the best performing post is around 1,000. Of course Facebook will let me: “Boost this post to reach up to 3358 more people with every $175 you spend.” Not only is that extortion, it’s not even close to being realistic for small biz.
I’m reducing my activity on Facebook. There will continue to be automated posts of new articles and videos, but because Facebook likes those even less (the links take you off of Facebook), Facebook will show you even fewer. So be it.
I’ll be posting things on other social media (links in first comment), and if the tools I use allow me to check a box to have that show up on Facebook as well, fine. Otherwise, they just won’t show up there.
Facebook is no longer a priority.
If you’re one of those who told Facebook you actually want to see what I post, I have an EXCELLENT alternative. It’s completely free, completely in your control, and completely free of Facebook’s meddling: sign up for my weekly Confident Computing emailed newsletter. Take back control and sign up today. (link in first comment).
Thanks,
Footnotes & References
- Newsletter: https://askleo.com/newsletter
- Instagram: https://askleo.com/instagram
- Mastodon: https://askleo.com/mastodon (mix of personal & Ask Leo!)
- Threads: https://askleo.com/threads (mix of personal & Ask Leo!)
- Tiktok: https://askleo.com/tiktok
- YouTube: https://askleo.com/youtube
- YouTube Shorts: https://askleo.com/youtubeshorts
Yes, those links all redirect through askleo.com. That means they only go to the official Ask Leo! related account. Accept no substitutes.
And there’s the good old RSS feed that lets you choose exactly what you want to follow. Too bad so many sites don’t bother with it anymore. Thank you for having one.
They are not only pulling a bait-and-switch, but Facebook is also the buggiest website on the Internet. One example: They send you a notification, and when you click on it, that comment is buried two layers down on another comment, and you have to dig for it. And as you said, their AI algorithms take down the most innocuous posts.
Sadly, there’s no good alternative. X is much worse. TikTok might be a Chinese Communist spy honeypot. Instagram and Threads are Facebook, and Mastodon, which is great, doesn’t have many of my friends.
Before signing up for the Asl Leo! Newsletter, I would follow Leo via an RSS feed.
There are ways for you to see more of a Friend or a Page’s post. Liking and commenting move up that page’s post on your feed. That also boosts the general rank of that post so that it might move up in general if many people like or comment.
To see more posts from a page, click “Liked” and select the “Favorites” radio button. Even though Leo is pulling back from Facebook, I suggest you “Favorite” the Ask Leo! Facebook page.
I agree Leo, I quit worrying about FB a couple of months ago when they took down my posts, that as you know, are of similar topics to yours. Ridiculous to say the least. I use your RSS feed as Fiona said before. It is the only way to get what you need without any interference.
Facebook misinterpreted a cartoon of a frog popping pills as a photo of a suicide. It was a joke between friends regarding needing a “chill pill” after a hard day, with several replies referring to ingesting pills. FB seemed to act on these policies almost as soon as I posted the picture, how did they know immediately, I thought? (Now I Do) I am now not allowed to post videos, GIFS, etc. and was threatened with permanent suspension should I violate any more of their policies (which I never knew about). They also said that the pill popping cartoon frog photo was indicative of me body shaming fat people??? The next day my relative posted a graphic meme-type photo about killing and burying someone’s husband, but FB left it on there! I visit facebook rarely now and to say Happy Birthday to FB friends.
Glad to say I don’t need to see your FB posts Leo as I have subscribed to your Confident Computing newsletter for many years. Thanks for all your articles.
To Fiona, I love RSS feeds and glad you mentioned them. I like them so much that my 3rd daughter’s initials are RSS. Your post is reminding me that I should speak to the #1 site that I follow for work whose RSS has gone way haywire in the last few weeks.