7 Essential Etiquette Rules for Facebook Users

Facebook continues to evolve, becoming an increasingly popular platform where we spend much of our leisure time. However, not everyone shares the same vision of pleasant interaction—some users and unscrupulous social media marketers can disrupt the experience. Familiarize yourself with privacy settings and access controls, and share these seven excellent etiquette guidelines, originally crafted by my good friend Alex Gorshkov and adapted here for our blog format.

1. User Accounts Must Represent Real People

This rule is clearly stated in Facebook’s policies. A real person has a genuine first and last name. For those who prefer to hide behind pseudonyms like “gentle Vasya” or “sweet kitty,” there are plenty of other platforms where they can pose as anyone—from bearded men to teenagers or glamorous students. On Facebook, authentic users present themselves with their real names; this is not an anonymous chat. Brand or fake accounts should be promptly reported and removed, as they often spam users with unsolicited messages. Additionally, if you plan to connect with people abroad, consider how easy it will be for them to find you if your name is in Cyrillic. Here’s an example of a clear, searchable profile.

2. Avoid Sending Messages Like “HELLO, DO WE KNOW EACH OTHER?”

When someone sends you a friend request, it means they are interested in your posts or photos and wish to establish a personal or professional connection. Genuine users fill out their profiles, allowing you to review their information before accepting or declining. Typically, it’s easy to distinguish bots from real people. Remember, Facebook is not a dating site. Thanks to Mark Zuckerberg for enabling followers as an alternative!

3. Understand the Difference Between Groups and Pages

Never add people to groups without their consent—that’s spam. Spammers deserve to be shunned, so protect your online karma by respecting others’ boundaries.

4. Don’t Tag People in Photos or Videos They Aren’t Actually In

This is especially important for humorous images or event posters. Interesting and funny content naturally spreads across the network. For events, Facebook provides an excellent tool called “Events” to invite and inform attendees properly.

5. Refrain from Using Group Chats to Send Irrelevant Messages

I particularly dislike when someone creates a group chat only to flood it with nonsense, then starts private conversations with annoyed participants. Remember, all messages are visible to everyone in the chat, and usually, people want to exit such conversations quickly.

6. Avoid Unsolicited Sexual Advances

If you’re seeking romantic or intimate connections, specialized dating websites exist for that purpose—many even connect you with respectable gentlemen from Wisconsin named Matt or Bob, so they say.

7. Don’t Request Likes or Votes via Private Messages

It’s inappropriate to message strangers asking them to like your page, attend concerts, sales, or literary readings. Share such requests only with friends who you know will genuinely appreciate the information.

*Note: Meta Platforms Inc. and its associated social networks Facebook and Instagram are restricted in certain regions.

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