Whenever you’re scrolling through Facebook, do you ever think about who is looking at your profile?

We can get a decent idea of some people who see our posts through likes and comments, but what about people who browse through your profile without liking or commenting?

By now, I’m sure we’ve all seen those third-party apps or websites that say they can tell you who’s looking at your profile.

While most of these apps and websites are obviously sketchy, it can lead you to wonder whether or not it’s possible to track the people visiting your Facebook profile.

It doesn’t seem too crazy that it could be possible.

Facebook is notorious for tracking as much of its users’ browsing activity as possible, so why wouldn’t it be possible for a third-party app to track users who click on your profile?

So, is it possible?

Can you really see who looks at your Facebook profile?

Short answer: No

Unfortunately, there’s no way to see who has been visiting your Facebook profile.

While many apps and websites claim they do this, Facebook has said there is no way to check who viewed your profile:

Even though the social giant collects and stores all kinds of data regarding users’ social media browsing, the company does not allow any third party to use that information for tracking purposes.

This data is only used for the company’s own advertising platform, and giving third-party access to that data would be a huge privacy risk for everyone on the platform.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to block someone’s profile on Instagram
• How to mute someone on Facebook
• Here’s how to change your name on Facebook
• How to set up Facebook Pay

The post Can you see who looks at your Facebook profile? appeared first on KnowTechie.

If you’re a Facebook user, you’ve probably received unsolicited message requests from random people. But do you know how to check Facebook Messenger requests?

While some messages may be legitimate, others will undoubtedly be from scammers making outrageous—and often entertaining—offers.

Facebook can be a busy place, and sometimes messages get missed. However, if you think an important request escaped your attention, you can check at any time using the web or mobile app.

Let’s discuss how to view all Facebook Messenger requests.

How to see message requests on Messenger (web version)

Here’s how to view Facebook Messenger requests on the web app:

If you hover your cursor over a request and click the three-dot (…) button, you’ll have the option to Delete or Report the chat. You can also mark the message as unread or view the sender’s profile.

Finally, to approve a request, all you need to do is reply to the message.

How to check Messenger message requests (Facebook website)

Facebook and Messenger have been split into two websites for a while now. But you can still access messages, and message requests, from the regular Facebook website.

Here’s what you want to do:

1. Log into Facebook’s website and select the Messenger icon in the top right

2. Select the three-dot menu at the top right

3. Click Message requests from the menu

4. Select either You may know or Spam to view related message requests

Like the Messenger website, you can use the three-dot (…) button menu to delete, report, and mark chats as unread. You can also accept any message request by simply replying to the message.

How to see message requests on Facebook (mobile)

Here’s how to view Facebook message requests on the mobile app:

1. Launch the Messenger app and tap your the hamburger menu in the top left

2. Tap Message requests

3. Select either You may know or Spam to view related message requests

You’ll need to Long-press a listed chat to view the actions menu. This lets you delete the request, open a chat head, mark the message as unread, or block the sender.

Don’t trust message requests from unknown senders

Often, the most difficult part of receiving unsolicited Facebook messages is sorting the spam from legitimate requests.

In fact, many of the Messenger requests you receive are likely to be attempted scams. That’s why if someone offers something that seems too good to be true, you’d be wise to ignore, delete, or report the message.

Or, better yet, reply with an outrageous counteroffer and beat them at their own game.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Can I use Messenger without a Facebook account?
• How to download Facebook videos
• Here’s how to use Facebook Live for livestreaming
• How to set up Facebook Pay

The post How to check Facebook Messenger message requests appeared first on KnowTechie.

Meta requested that its Oversight Board investigate the company’s cross-check rules more than a year ago. The Board finally published its assessment earlier this week.

Cross-check is a moderation policy at Facebook and Instagram that separates certain high-profile figures from the platforms’ automated moderation systems.

The company told the Oversight Board that the goal of its cross-check program is to advance its human rights commitments. But it turns out the real goal is to prioritize its business concerns.

The Oversight Board found several key flaws in Meta’s cross-check program. The most obvious flaw in the system was that it created unequal treatment for users on the platform.

The Board found that Meta failed to track many core metrics relating to cross-check. It also lacked transparency about how the system actually functions.

As a result of its findings, the Oversight Board issues several recommendations to Meta to change the cross-check system.

It sent 32 recommendations overall, including improving transparency, focusing on human rights, and reducing harmful content posted by public figures.

Meta now has 30 days to respond to the Board’s recommendations, though none are binding.

The company isn’t required to change anything, and I’d be surprised if the Oversight Board’s assessment has any real bearing on Meta’s cross-check moderation policy.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

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• Twitter censored tweets in 2020 at request of Trump and Biden
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The post Oversight Board finds Meta puts business over people appeared first on KnowTechie.

The tool, pointed out by MSN, is hidden pretty deep inside Facebook’s help section for its non-users.

The link is embedded beneath a tower of word vomit because, to be frank, Facebook doesn’t want to delete your phone number.

If you want to request that the platform remove your phone number or email address, you can do it via this link: Facebook Contact Removal.

Just head to that page and choose what kind of information you want the platform to block.

Once you enter the phone number or email address you’re looking for, you can request that Facebook take it down and even block it in the future.

Your phone number can be in Facebook’s database even if you’ve never had an account. That’s because other people shared their phone contacts with the platform. If you were in those contacts, Facebook has your number.

Now you can remove it. This is a nice tool for Facebook users and non-users alike. Facebook, and its parent company Meta, have gathered tons of data on their users.

Do yourself a favor and tell Facebook to delete your number and block it in the future so you can have a little more peace of mind.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• The Meta Quest 3 will release in late 2023
• Does Facebook let you unlike inactive pages?
• Instagram could soon let you schedule posts and Reels
• Twitter is reportedly working on a Vine reboot

The post This secret Facebook tool removes your phone number and email appeared first on KnowTechie.

If you have been having connection issues on Facebook and Instagram, you are not alone. The social giants are reportedly down for many users.

According to Downdetector, 503 people have reported issues with Facebook. Another 1,864 users have stated similar problems with Instagram. The numbers continue to rise, as well.

Facebook outage stats:

Instagram outage stats:

Currently, users are reporting issues with loading DMs and the main feeds for both platforms.

One user on Downdetector notes, “Facebook messenger and reading and creating posts not working.”

Cindy Mullins on DD also states that “Facebook just went completely down. Forget about glitches, it went from glitches to not available at all”

Others are reporting that things are loading on Facebook, but that it is taking an extremely long time. We still can’t confirm if outages are limited to certain areas, however.

Users jump to Twitter to report Facebook and Instagram outages

Twitter users are also reporting problems with Facebook and Instagram. Currently, it is unclear if a certain area is experiencing an outage or if it is global.

We’ll continue to update this report as more information is made available.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to make Facebook private
• Instagram could soon let you schedule posts and Reels
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• Donald Trump’s Truth Social is now available on Google Play

The post Facebook and Instagram are down for many people (updated) appeared first on KnowTechie.

Take liking pages, for instance.

Those who started on Facebook as teenagers have probably been liking different pages over the years, and naturally, our interests on the platform grow and evolve.

In my early years on Facebook, I remember going through and liking just about every page I could find.

Discover a new band? Like their Facebook page. Favorite sports teams? Like their page. Any and everything that I had some sort of interest in had to be liked on Facebook.

Getting rid of active pages is straightforward, but what about pages you’ve liked that no longer exist?

They still show up on your profile for some reason. So, can you unlike those Facebook pages even after they’ve been deleted?

Can you unlike inactive Facebook pages?

Short Answer: Nope

If one of the pages you have liked in the past becomes inactive or gets deleted, there’s no way to remove it from your list of liked pages.

The deleted page won’t show up in your liked ‘Pages’ on your dashboard, and you will no longer see it on your Facebook Activity Log on a computer.

The only place that these deleted liked pages will show up is on your profile. So anyone that comes along will see that you liked that old-school meme page back in 2014.

The only way to hide those inactive liked pages from your profile is to remove that section completely from your bio.

To do this, navigate to your desktop profile and select the About section.

From there, scroll down until you find the Likes section that shows all the pages you’ve liked.

Then, click the three-dot menu at the top right and select Hide Section, and that section will be removed from your profile.

Just to be clear, this will hide all of your liked pages, so that will be the sacrifice you have to make to hide all of those deleted pages that you liked in the past.

To get them back, you’ll need to go to your profile, click More on the line with Posts, About, etc (shown above), and select Manage Section.

This is a ridiculous workaround to have to do, but unfortunately, it’s the only option available right now.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The post Does Facebook let you unlike inactive pages? appeared first on KnowTechie.

Depending on how you use Facebook, you may want to keep your profile private. Maybe you don’t want grandma to know about that party you went to, or you don’t want strangers to see what you post.

Whatever the reason, you can make your Facebook profile private so that only your friends see what you post. In fact, Facebook has several privacy options, so you can customize what portions of your profile can be seen by non-friends.

We’ll go over the various privacy options that Facebook has and how to enable them. So if you’re looking to go private on Facebook, check out the options below.

What kind of privacy options does Facebook offer?

Despite the public persona that Facebook, and now Meta, have created, the platform does offer a few substantial privacy options. Users can customize their profiles to create various levels of privacy.

First, users obviously have the option to choose who gets to see their posts. You can make posts viewable to the public, friends, or even just yourself.

READ MORE: How to change your birthday on Facebook

In addition to post privacy, Facebook gives users the option to make their friends list private. By default, any Facebook user can go through the friends list of another user.

However, there is a toggle that lets you change this on your own profile.

You can also make certain profile aspects, such as your job, where you live, and your relationship status private. These settings can be toggled individually, so you can customize your privacy the way you want.

And lastly, you can block your profile from showing up on search engines. With a public profile, anyone can find your Facebook page through a simple Google search. This setting lets you eliminate that option.

So let’s look at the various options you can use to make Facebook private.

How to choose who sees your Facebook posts on desktop

The first setting we will cover here is how you can adjust who sees your posts. Not only can you change your posts from public to friends only, but you can also choose exactly which friends see your posts.

First, we’ll show how it’s done on a computer:

1. Log in to Facebook and select the arrow drop-down menu at the top right

2. Select Settings & Privacy

3. Select Settings

4. Choose the Privacy tab on the left side

5. Scroll down and find Who can see your future posts? and click Edit

6. Click the drop-down menu at the bottom of this section and choose who can see your posts.

From that drop-down menu, you can change your posts from being viewable by the public to being viewable only by friends. Additionally, you have the ability to choose exactly which friends see your posts.

Choose the Friends except… option to stop some of your friends from seeing your posts. Or use the Specific friends option to only let a few of your friends see your posts.

And finally, you can also change who sees your past posts retroactively. Below this section, find the Limit the audience for posts you’ve shared with friends of friends or Public? section.

Click Limit Past Posts to apply similar privacy settings for your previous posts.

How to choose who sees your Facebook posts on mobile

And now, we’ll take a look at how you can limit who sees your post through the Facebook app. On mobile, the settings are a little different.

You’ll actually need to make a post to be able to change the privacy setting for future posts. Here’s what you want to do.

Now, the default setting for your future posts will be whatever you set it to during this post. Using the same method, you can change the setting whenever you’d like.

You can also adjust the setting in the post menu like this on a desktop. But changing the setting won’t change the default you set on your computer.

How to make your Facebook friends list private

Another privacy option that Facebook offers is the ability to make your friends list private.

If you don’t want people going through your list of friends on the platform, then you’ll want to toggle this privacy setting. Here’s how to do it:

1. Log in to Facebook and select the arrow drop-down menu at the top right

2. Select Settings & Privacy

3. Select Settings

4. Choose the Privacy tab on the left side

5. Scroll down and click Edit next to Who can see your friends list?

6. Use the drop-down menu to choose who can see your friends list

This feature gives you the same options as hiding your posts from certain people. You can make your friends list available to everyone or only your friends.

Additionally, you can choose exactly who gets to see the list with the Friends Except and Specific Friends options.

You can also use this How People Find and Contact You section in the Privacy Settings menu to adjust a few other settings.

Within this menu is a feature that lets you limit who sends you friend requests. You can also block or allow users to find your Facebook profile using your phone number or email address.

How to hide your Facebook profile from search engines on a computer

This is also the section you will use to block search engines from showing your Facebook profile. Click Edit on the bottom option labeled “Do you want search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile?”

Just uncheck the box under that option, and your Facebook page will be blocked on search engine results. This feature is good to turn on if you want your profile safe from people you don’t know.

How to hide your friends list on Facebook mobile

And now, how to do this on a mobile device. Again, the app may look a little different depending on whether you are using an iPhone or an Android (we’re using a Samsung Galaxy S20 for this guide).

But the steps for finding these settings will be almost identical:

1. Tap the hamburger menu button in the top right (bottom left on some versions)

2. Tap the cogwheel to open Settings & Privacy

3. Swipe down to the Audience and Visibility section and select How People FInd and Contact You

4. Tap Who can see your friends list

5. Choose the privacy setting that you prefer

Once you choose your preferred option, you can press the back button to go back to your main page. You don’t have to press any extra buttons to confirm the change.

And that’s how you can adjust the privacy of your friends list on Facebook mobile. Again, this page can be used for other privacy measures.

This menu has the same options as the desktop version. You can adjust who can send you friend requests as well as who can find your profile using your email address or phone number.

Hiding your Facebook profile from search engines on mobile

This is the mobile menu you will want to navigate to hide your profile from search engines. You get to this section in the same way outlined above for making your friends list private.

Just select the bottom option labeled “Do you want search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile” and uncheck the box to block your profile from outside search engines.

With that box unchecked, your Facebook profile won’t show up on search engine results. This is a significant extra level of privacy that protects you from third-party visits to your profile.

How to make your Facebook profile info private on desktop

If you decide you don’t want to make your posts private, you can still hide some of your profile information.

Various profile information like where you live, where you work, or where you went to school can all be made private through your profile. Here’s what you need to do.

1. Log in to Facebook and click your name in the top left to go to your profile

2. Click Edit Details in the Intro column

3. Toggle off any of the listed options that you only want friends to see then click Save

You can also have a little more control over the privacy of this information if you head to the About tab. The About tab shows you every aspect of your profile in a few lists.

By clicking the icon next to the three-dot menu for a certain item, you can bring up a more in-depth privacy feature for each option.

In addition to making a section private or public, you have the additional option to choose exactly who can see a certain aspect of your profile.

You can build a list using either the Friends except or Specific friends option to choose exactly which friends can see that information.

How to make your Facebook profile information private on mobile

And if you mainly use the Facebook app on your Android or iOS device, don’t worry. You can still edit your profile settings through the mobile app.

Thankfully, it’s just as simple as on a web browser. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Tap your profile picture to head to your profile

2. Select Edit profile

3. Swipe down and select Edit in the Details section

4. Uncheck any boxes for options that you want only friends to see and press Save

And that’s how you adjust the privacy settings for your Facebook profile on mobile. Unfortunately, you don’t have all of the same options available on mobile as you do on desktop.

If you want to use the Friends except or Specific friends option to build specific lists of who can see your profile info, you will have to use a computer and refer to the desktop guide above.

Set your profile up the way you want with Facebook’s privacy settings

Over the years, Facebook’s privacy settings have evolved to become extremely customizable. Now, the platform has tons of privacy settings so you can set up your profile exactly the way you want.

Whether you want to limit who can see your posts or keep people out of your friends list, the options are there. You can hide individual aspects of your profile and even block search engines from showing your profile in search results.

Using the guides above, you can be sure that your Facebook profile is as private as you want it to be. At least, private from other users. The only way to stop Facebook itself from gathering as much data from you as it can is to stop using the platform entirely.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

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The post How to make Facebook private appeared first on KnowTechie.

The Facebook News Feed is a mix of posts from friends and family and “suggested” content from random pages and creators.

Starting today, users can tell Facebook to show less or more of a particular piece of content. Here’s how it works.

Giving Facebook Feedback

At first, Facebook will prompt users to provide feedback. The company plans to include a voting mechanism with all suggested posts soon. 

Meta says the feedback will have a “temporary” effect on how the Facebook News Feed algorithm surfaces suggested content. It’s unclear how long these effects will last. 

The company also plans to introduce an overhauled News Feed settings window. This will allow users to dictate the frequency in which certain kinds of posts appear in their timeline. 

In practice, users will be able to increase the frequency in which personal status updates appear while decreasing the prevalence of posts from public figures and pages. 

Taking Control

The newsfeed is Facebook’s equivalent of prime real estate. It wasn’t always so.

Its first incarnation was blissfully simple. It showed the latest status updates from friends, family, and casual acquaintances. 

Over time, Facebook engineered the News Feed to increase engagement and deliver hyper-relevant ads. 

This move wasn’t without controversy. Misleading and ultra-partisan content displaced selfies and life updates. Filter bubbles hardened. 

Journalists and political elites decried Facebook as a risk to democracy.

It was no longer a plucky tech giant forged from a Harvard dorm room. It was an unthinking company prepared to sacrifice civil discourse and facts on the altar of virality.

Following the 2016 US Presidential Election, Facebook has battled to repair its tarnished image. The latest update is yet another step in that direction. 

This is a good step. But there’s a cynical angle to be found here.

By giving users greater choice in the content they see, it shifts responsibility (and, yes, blame) from the News Feed algorithm. 

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The post Facebook now lets you upvote and downvote News Feed content appeared first on KnowTechie.

Or maybe you’re trying to use an important feature that doesn’t seem to work as advertised. Or maybe you’re trying to recover a disabled or hacked account. For that, you can contact Facebook.

There could be many reasons why you might need to contact Facebook customer support.

However, you’ll quickly find yourself asking the question: does Meta offer Facebook tech support? It does. Well, sort of.

The problem is that Facebook doesn’t consider us customers in the traditional sense unless, of course, we’re taking out paid ads.

Remember the old saying? “If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.”

In most cases, the company expects us to serve ourselves, but you may be able to make contact in certain cases.

Let’s discuss how to get in touch with Facebook customer service.

How to contact Facebook customer service for account issues

Meta doesn’t offer phone support. Sure, you could try contacting Meta at 650-543-4800, but you’ll eventually reach a dead end.

In most cases, attempting to reach a human by phone is a waste of time.

You could also try emailing Facebook customer service at support@fb.com for Facebook email support, but this isn’t an address the company openly advertises, so it’s unclear whether you’ll receive a response.

If your issue isn’t super urgent, you could try contacting Facebook support via the report a problem tool.

Receiving a response is far from guaranteed, but this may be the best way to make the company aware of the issue.

How to contact Facebook to report a problem

If you are ready to contact Facebook, the “report a problem” option is certainly one of the most convenient ways. Here’s how to do it:

Contact Facebook on social media

Facebook has several social media accounts you can use to contact the company. Still, you may or may not receive a response, especially if you’re reaching out to its Facebook page.

Here are Facebook’s main social media accounts:

• Facebook: @facebook
• Twitter: @facebook
• Instagram: @facebook

Again, this probably will result in a dead end, but you may get the company’s attention this way.

What to do if your Facebook account is disabled

If you can’t access Facebook support services because your account is disabled, you can use this web form to contact customer service.

You have 30 days from when your account was deactivated to submit your request.

To complete the submission, you’ll need to fill in your details and provide a picture of your ID.

Keep in mind that Facebook will keep your identification on file for up to one year for totally altruistic reasons.

This method is aimed at people whose accounts have been mistakenly disabled for violating the platform’s community standards.

If your account was deactivated for another reason, you’d need to contact support using another method.

Does Facebook have customer service?

Attempting to navigate the Facebook support maze will more often than not lead to dead ends and disappointment.

Most processes on the platform are automated, as the company wants to avoid wasting time and money interacting directly with its users whenever possible.

So, does Facebook provide customer service? Sure, but unless you’re an advertiser, you’re not a customer of Facebook.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to turn off the ‘People You May Know’ feature on Facebook
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• How to set up Facebook Pay
• Can I use Messenger without a Facebook account?

The post How to contact Facebook customer support appeared first on KnowTechie.

Revealed in a blog post earlier this week, the new feature is being developed for iOS, Android, and the web-based Instagram and Facebook apps. It’s currently being tested globally on all platforms.

After you add your various Instagram and Facebook profiles to Meta’s accounts center, you can access those accounts from either platform.

This new feature lets you quickly switch to another account from your Accounts Center. Your Accounts Center will also include notifications, so you can keep up with your notifications with a quick glance.

First, on Android and iOS, selecting a different account will automatically bring up the new app.

The feature lets you switch from Facebook to Instagram and back without even having to head to your phone’s home screen.

Secondly, on the web, choosing a different account from the Accounts Center will open whichever app is in a new tab. That gives you instant access to your other social profiles with just a simple press of a button.

Meta is also making it easier for users to create new accounts and profiles across its platforms.

Users can create new accounts and profiles from the Accounts Center, automatically linking them to pre-existing accounts.

This is a nice quality of life upgrade from Meta. Facebook and Instagram have become more and more interconnected over the years.

And this new tool will make it easier to switch between the two with a couple of simple steps. Keep your eye out for this new feature on your Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Donald Trump could return to Facebook early next year
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The post Meta tests way to quickly switch between Facebook and Instagram appeared first on KnowTechie.

The news comes from a recent Semafor interview with Facebook’s president of global affairs, Nick Clegg. Clegg noted the two-year suspension sentence, saying that Trump could be back on the platform on January 7.

Facebook originally suspended Trump back on January 7 of last year as a result of the pro-Trump riots and attack on the nation’s Capitol building the day before.

The suspension was originally marked as indefinite until Facebook’s Oversight Board made a ruling. The Oversight Board upheld the decision but required Facebook to put a timeline on the suspension or ban Trump’s account outright.

Facebook’s decision for a two-year suspension leads us to today. January 7, 2023, will mark two years exactly since Trump’s suspension. So naturally, Facebook could reinstate him that day.

But Clegg didn’t make any sort of guarantees. He says the company will continue to look at any relevant signals to determine whether or not it will reinstate Trump.

What do you think? Do you think Facebook should lift the Trump suspension in January, or should it continue the suspension further?

Or will Trump even want back on Facebook now that he’s got his own Truth Social platform where he can say whatever he wants? He has already said he wouldn’t come back to Twitter, so will the same apply to Facebook?

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

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The post Donald Trump could return to Facebook early next year appeared first on KnowTechie.

Announced by Mark Zuckerberg on Facebook earlier today and in a blog post on the Meta website, Community Chats are another way for users to connect with others over shared interests and topics.

If you’ve ever used Discord, Community Chats seem very similar to how a Discord channel works.

The community itself is centered around a shared topic. Groups like the example that Meta shared, “Women Who Surf.”

Then, under each community, you’ll find different chat rooms and social spaces. There will be tabs for text chats, voice chats, and social tabs.

Under each tab, you’ll find more specific, individual topics for an even more tailored group experience.

Like Facebook Groups, Community Chats will have moderation tools for admins. So if you’re running a group that you want to keep PG, admins can automatically ban users who don’t follow those rules.

Users can start Community Chats in either Messenger or through Facebook Groups. So if you already have a group of users with shared interests, you can create Community Chats for that Group.

Community Chats are starting testing right now, and Meta plans to expand to more groups in the coming weeks. The platform continues to look for ways to evolve Messenger and Facebook with more community-driven features.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The post Facebook’s new Community Chats feature is basically Discord appeared first on KnowTechie.

The soon-to-be-rested community-based feature has been in testing across the US and Canada since 2020. It encouraged users to share posts, groups, and marketplaces around their neighborhoods.

Obviously, this hasn’t quite panned out the way that Meta had planned and Neighborhoods will now be closed.

Why is Facebook killing Neighborhoods?

According to the Neighborhoods group post spotted by Matt, “When we launched Neighborhoods, our mission was to bring local communities closer together, and we’ve learned the best way to do this is through groups.”

It further stated that “We will be…ending our test of Neighborhoods on October 1, at which point the feature will no longer be available.”

READ MORE: Facebook’s new Community Chats feature is basically Discord

By not rolling out globally after two years of testing, it’s safe to assume that user adoption was below average. This could be the reason Facebook is killing Neighborhoods.

What’s next after Neighborhoods?

Meta didn’t precisely say if anything is replacing Neighborhoods. However, it encouraged users to explore other community-based features.

Neighborhoods responded to the COVID-19 pandemic along with Facebook Campus, Messenger Rooms (with video chat), and Tunes (for couples).

On the same October 1, Meta will also be killing Live Shopping on Facebook. Although you’ll still be able to use Facebook Live.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Meta is exploring paid Facebook and Instagram features
• Twitter is officially testing its edit button
• New TikTok hack reportedly exposes source code and user data
• Instagram is working on a repost feature for the first time

The post Facebook will be killing “Neighborhoods” come October 1 appeared first on KnowTechie.

After requiring a link to your Facebook account for years, the company finally changed up its rules to allow you to use a new, Meta account instead.

So if you’ve been wanting to use your Quest VR headset without having to link your Facebook account, you finally can now. And we’re going to show you how it’s done.

What’s the difference between a Meta account and a Facebook account?

Now, you might be thinking, “a Meta account isn’t that much different than using my Facebook account for my Quest.” And, essentially, you’re right.

You still have to give Meta certain information when you sign up for a Meta account. The account requires information like your name, birthday, and email.

But what this change really accomplishes is completely separating your Facebook account from your Quest activities. With the new Meta accounts, there’s nothing to tie your Quest activities with your Facebook account.

So if you want to use your Quest without it being associated with your Facebook account, you can do so now. Or even better, you can use a Quest headset without even having a Facebook account at all. Here’s how to set it up.

How to set up a Meta account

The first thing you need to do is set up a Meta account. You can start that process by heading to meta.com/websetup.

Then, just follow the steps to create your new Meta account using an email address and password.

You’ll also be prompted to set up your new Horizon profile. This will act as your social profile on your Quest headset.

You can also choose to link your Meta and Facebook accounts at a later date if you change your mind.

Link your Quest with your Meta account

The next step in the process is to link your new Meta account to your Quest VR headset.

Once you finish setting up your Horizon profile, you need to click Device Code to give you the option to link your Quest to your new headset.

Now, put on your Quest headset, and you should see a webpage with a code on it. Type that code into the window on the Device Code page that pops up from the hyperlink.

That’s it. Now when you put your Quest headset back on, you will see a notification that the link is successful and your device will restart.

Finally break free of Facebook’s grasp on Quest

The new Meta account and associated Horizon profiles finally let users do what they’ve wanted to do for years: separate their VR experience from Facebook.

And in fact, all Quest users will be required to migrate to a Meta account sometime in the future. You’ll eventually be prompted to switch to a Meta account, and you likely won’t be able to use your Quest until you do so.

But for now, the Meta accounts are available only if you want to make the switch. And you always have the option to link your Facebook account if you want to maintain that connection between social media and your VR experience.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to unlink Facebook and Instagram
• Here’s how to mute someone on Facebook
• Can I use my Oculus Quest 2 with my Xbox?
• Can you buy a replacement controller for the Oculus Quest 2?

The post How to switch from a Facebook to Meta account on Quest appeared first on KnowTechie.

The Facebook Gaming app came to mobile back in 2020, just a couple of years after Facebook launched its Gaming platform in 2018.

Facebook launched this service as a competitor to streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube. Users who logged into the Facebook Gaming app would see various live streams they could hop in and watch.

READ MORE: Meta is exploring paid Facebook and Instagram features

Facebook Gaming even swallowed up Microsoft’s streaming platform, Mixer, after Mixer failed to grab the attention of livestream viewers. But nothing was enough to keep the Facebook Gaming mobile app going forward.

But this doesn’t mean that Facebook is abandoning Facebook Gaming. The web-based platform, facebook.gg, is still going strong.

You can still find gamers and streamers to watch through the regular Facebook app, as well, though you’ll likely have to do some searching.

READ MORE: Facebook’s new Community Chats feature is basically Discord

YouTube is another live streaming platform that shut down its dedicated gaming app a while back. YouTube said its gaming app caused confusion among viewers.

The platform has since rolled its gaming section into the main app, keeping everything all together.

It’s unclear what Facebook’s exact reason is for shutting down the Facebook Gaming mobile app. But it seems like the platform is still dedicated to its gaming section.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see an update to the Facebook app that makes its game streaming sections more accessible for everyday users.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Meta Quest 2 users can now ditch their Facebook accounts to log in
• Facebook is finally working on providing actual customer service
• YouTube Shorts will soon watermark videos just like TikTok
• Sony’s new PlayStation division points towards a mobile future

The post Facebook is killing off its Gaming app this year appeared first on KnowTechie.

Although Meta allows you to link its Facebook and Instagram apps, doing so may actually be a bad idea in some cases.

For instance, while linking Facebook and Instagram simplifies login, it also introduces a major security risk in the event of a hack.

Preventing a double hack is one of the most important reasons why you may want to unlink Facebook and Instagram. That being said, here’s how to unlink Facebook and Instagram.

Unlinking Facebook and Instagram

There are two ways to disconnect Facebook and Instagram. You can easily do this from either Facebook or from Instagram.

You can also do this using the Facebook mobile app or on your desktop browser.

How to unlink Facebook and Instagram from Facebook (desktop)

Here’s how to unlink Facebook and Instagram from Facebook on a desktop browser.

How to unlink Facebook and Instagram via the Facebook app

You can also unlink Facebook and Instagram on your mobile phone. The process is similar to using a desktop browser. Here’s how:

1. Launch the Facebook app on your phone

2. Tap on the three-line hamburger menu in the top right corner (Android users will tap the Cog wheel afterwards)

3. You can either tap on the settings gear button or scroll down and tap on Settings and privacy, then Settings

4. Scroll down to the end of the page and tap on the Meta Accounts Center

5. Tap on Accounts, then scroll down to Instagram and tap on Remove

6. Review the warning message and tap on Continue

7. Review the warning message again and tap Remove XYZ, where XYZ is your name

How to unlink Facebook and Instagram via Instagram on desktop

You can also unlink Facebook and Instagram from inside Instagram using your mobile app or your desktop browser. Here’s how to do it on your desktop browser:

1. Sign in to Instagram and click on your profile picture at the top of your screen, then select Settings

2. Scroll down and click on the Meta Accounts Center

3. Under the Meta Accounts Center tab, click on Accounts

4. Locate Facebook on the list and click on Remove

5. Review the warning information and click on Remove XYZ, where XYZ is your name

How to unlink Facebook and Instagram via the Instagram app

If you prefer to use the Instagram app, you can accomplish the same thing in just a few taps. Read on to find out how:

1. Open the Instagram app

2. Tap on your profile picture in the bottom right corner of your screen

3. Tap on the three-line hamburger menu at the top-right, then tap on Settings

4. Scroll down and tap on the Meta Accounts Center, then tap Accounts

5. Go to Facebook and tap on Remove

6. Review the warning and tap on Continue

7. Review the warning message again, then tap Remove XYZ, where XYZ is your Facebook account name

Not only is the process similar for mobile and desktop, but it is also similar on Android and iPhone

What happens after you unlink Facebook and Instagram?

Several changes will occur after you unpair your Facebook and Instagram accounts that will affect your connected experience across the two Meta apps.

Firstly, you’ll be unable to share login information between Facebook and Instagram. This means that you’ll have to manually log in to each account separately.

Also, you’ll no longer have the option to cross-post stories and posts from Facebook to Instagram and vice versa. Therefore, you’ll spend more time posting separately to Facebook and Instagram as a result.

The upside is that your posts will be more original, unique, and well-suited to each of Facebook’s and Instagram’s different audiences.

READ MORE: How to mute someone on Facebook

Again, you’ll no longer be able to find and cross-message friends faster across both apps. You’ll have to do these separately inside each app.

The biggest benefits of unlinking your Facebook account and Instagram profile are increased privacy and account security in the event of a hack.

Go ahead and unlink it

You are now equipped with the knowledge to quickly unlink your Facebook and Instagram accounts. What’s more, you can also do the same for any other apps or websites that you no longer use from the same menus.

You may be giving up the convenience of a unified and simplified login, but you’ll also be strengthening your online security and privacy.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to create an anonymous Facebook account
• How to turn off the ‘People You May Know’ feature on Facebook
• Here’s how to use Facebook Live for livestreaming
• How to set up Facebook Pay

The post How to unlink Facebook and Instagram appeared first on KnowTechie.

There are those old friends from high school or those people you met during your time spent overseas. Facebook is one of the best ways to keep up with people you’ve met along your journey.

It’s also full of insufferable imbeciles who’ve been given a platform with a sense of anonymity who say and do things online that most sensible people recognize as insane. Fortunately, Facebook has a few tools to handle these types of people.

READ MORE: How to unlink Facebook and Instagram

In addition to blocking people on Facebook, the platform gives users the ability to mute someone’s profile either for a 30-day period or until they chose to see them again.

Muting profiles let you remain friends with that person, so they won’t have to know. This feature is very useful but isn’t necessarily that easy to find. Luckily, we’ve got you covered.

How to mute a profile on Facebook (mobile)

Facebook’s mute tool is a great way to get rid of those posts from your annoying uncle and his outrageous political views without having to worry about any backlash at the family reunion.

And that’s it! The snooze for 30 days option will mean you will see posts from that person again in 30 days.

The unfollow option will require you to re-follow before you see posts from that person in your Facebook News Feed again.

How to mute a Facebook profile (desktop)

The other method you can use to mute a person’s profile is through the Facebook website on your computer. And the steps are pretty similar to the method used on the mobile app:

1. Find a post from the profile you wish to mute on your News Feed

2. Click the three-dot menu at the top right of the post

3. Choose snooze for 30 days or unfollow

That’s all it takes. Again, choose the snooze option if you want to take a 30-day break from someone’s posts. Click unfollow if you want to hide their posts permanently without letting them know.

Use the mute feature to give you some peace of mind

Neither of these options will notify the owner of the Facebook profile that you chose to mute, so there’s no need to worry about any potential drama.

You can also easily undo the mute from that same post if you accidentally mute the wrong profile.

READ MORE: How to mute someone on Instagram (and why you should)

But they will give you a little extra peace of mind when you’re browsing social media. Most of us have friends on Facebook that can get pretty annoying with their posts from time to time.

Just use that snooze option to mute them for 30 days to give yourself a break from the agony. Or even go a step further and unfollow them completely.

That way, no one’s feelings get hurt and you don’t have to put up with unwanted content any longer.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to change your name on Facebook
• How to set up Facebook Pay
• Facebook has a new tool for transferring your posts to another service – here’s how to use it
• How to use Facebook Live for livestreaming

The post How to mute someone on Facebook appeared first on KnowTechie.

The Oversight Board is making this a priority. The Board, though formed and funded by Meta, acts independently.

It can advise Facebook on issues and make recommendations regarding the company’s content policies.

Since 2020, the Board has received more than a million requests. Most of them are appeals from users with account or content-related problems, according to Bloomberg.

Why Meta is focusing on customer content complaints

Arguably one of the biggest social networks, Meta has more than 3 billion users across its family of apps like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

READ MORE: Meta is exploring paid Facebook and Instagram features

While this is impressive, the same cannot be said of the company’s handling of customer complaints regarding its content policies.

Brent Harris, Meta’s VP of Governance, asked a pertinent question,

“How do we provide care and customer service and responsiveness to people about why their content has been taken down or why their accounts are taken down?”

Part of the problem is in its processes. For instance, Facebook relies heavily on AI to make content moderation decisions, and those processes can sometimes make the wrong call.

The Oversight Board believes that by increasing human input, cases of wrongful content removal or blocking of accounts will reduce.

Also, appeals will be attended to faster, thereby improving customer service delivery and user satisfaction.

Tackling Facebook’s customer service woes

Although Facebook has a dedicated Help Center, it is essentially a FAQs page. You can find helpful content and videos, but won’t be able to reach a customer service rep.

In fact, after several failed appeals, most users have had to directly contact Meta employees to seek help with blocked accounts or removed content.

The Board has reportedly made hundreds of recommendations to Meta, 73% of which have either been implemented or under consideration.

The recent customer-service improvement drive isn’t part of those recommendations, however, the Board touched on Facebook’s content complaints as part of the broader issues needing attention.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Instagram and Facebook track you on other websites – here’s how
• YouTube Shorts will soon watermark videos just like TikTok
• Snapchat now has its own ‘dual-camera’ feature similar to BeReal
• Twitter adds podcasts to its redesigned Spaces tab

The post Facebook is finally working on providing actual customer service appeared first on KnowTechie.

The company originally revealed its plans to scrap the Facebook account requirements from the Quest headset last month.

The plan was always to begin rolling the new Meta accounts out in August, and the company stuck to its word. The company announced the gradual rollout process of Meta accounts in a blog post earlier this week.

This is a pretty great new feature, considering the tumultuous relationship that many people have with Facebook these days.

Meta began requiring Facebook accounts for Quest VR back in 2020, and nobody really loved the requirement.

READ MORE: How to switch from a Facebook to Meta account on Quest

Once you create your Meta account, you’ll have to link it to a new Meta Horizon social profile. The Meta Horizon profile is what others will see when you use your Quest.

Of course, making a Meta account will still require you to share a lot of information with the company before you can use your Quest.

While that might not be ideal, it’s understandable that Meta needs to associate your Quest VR headset with some sort of account.

The big benefit comes to users who don’t necessarily want their Quest VR experience to be associated with Facebook.

With the new Meta accounts, there’s essentially no link between your Quest VR experience and your social media activity.

“Our new Meta account structure gives you more flexibility and control, letting you choose how you do and don’t show up—and whether Facebook and/or Instagram is part of your experience in VR,” reads an excerpt from Meta’s blog post.

Meta is rolling out its new Meta accounts gradually starting today. If you don’t have the option to sign up for one yet, it should become available soon.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Meta Quest 2 prices are about to see a huge jump
• Sony PS VR2: pricing, news, rumors, features, and release date
• Meta tracks you on Facebook and Instagram through in-app browsers
• Augmented reality vs virtual reality: What are the differences?

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Meta Quest 2 users can now ditch their Facebook accounts to log in appeared first on KnowTechie.

Consider this scenario: you’re at the public library getting some work done. During a quick break, you log into your Facebook account to check up on things before getting back to work.

Later, you remember that you forgot to log out of Facebook, and someone could have access to your entire account.

Fortunately, Facebook has a solution to that problem. In fact, the platform will let you remotely log out of your Facebook account on every device from anywhere. As long as you know where to look.

How to log out remotely on Facebook for desktop

Facebook will let you log out from anywhere remotely using the Facebook website or on the mobile app.

Though most people likely use Facebook’s mobile app more than the website, we’ll start by looking at the process for the website.

Start by heading to facebook.com and logging into your account:

That’s all it takes. In the Security and login tab, you can see a list of the devices where your account is logged in, including the device you’re currently using.

Then, just use the three-dot menu on the right to log out of any unwanted devices remotely.

How to log out remotely using the Facebook mobile app

If you primarily use the Facebook mobile app on your Android or iOS device, you can use it to log out remotely.

The process is relatively similar to on Facebook.com, but some of the steps look a little different. Again, start by opening the Facebook app and logging into your account.

1. Tap the hamburger menu (three lines) in the top right

2. Select the cogwheel settings button

3. Tap Password and security

4. Select See all under the Where you’re logged in section

5. Use the three-dot menu to log out of any unwanted devices

So there you go. Now, you can make sure that your account is only available on approved devices.

You can use this feature whenever you want to make sure that you don’t accidentally stay logged in on a computer or device that’s not in your control.

Remote logout can save you a lot of trouble in the future

Facebook keeps you logged in to your account unless you explicitly log out before closing the website or app.

While this is a super convenient feature for devices you use regularly, it can catch you off guard when browsing your account on a public device or one owned by someone else.

Fortunately, the platform lets you easily log out of different devices remotely. You can just open up the Facebook app and log out on any device whenever you need.

Additionally, if you have access to a computer, you can just as easily do it from the Facebook website.

This can save you a lot of trouble in the future, and it’s nice to know how to do it in case you ever find yourself in that situation. Hopefully, this article gives you the tools you need to log out of Facebook remotely from anywhere.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to create an anonymous Facebook account
• Here’s how to make Facebook private
• How to change your EA/Origin username
• How to turn on WiFi calling on Android and iOS

The post How to log out of Facebook remotely from anywhere appeared first on KnowTechie.