Keeping ContentSafe and Authentic
Facebook is meant to be a place where people can come create, discuss and share content that matters most to them. With such a large community of people interacting each day, it's important to make sure the environment remains a place that's protected and safe for everyone.
As a creator you will have a level of influence and viewership that others may not. That being said, it's important that you know the guidelines and boundaries placed around your videos and overall content so as to keep the larger community a positive, and healthy place to come and interact.
Let's take a look at how to best keep your content safe for your fanbase.
Monetizing Responsibly
Facebook offers features that help creators and publishers earn money from their content. You can use our tools to show ads in a video, or work with a business partner to promote a brand or product.
In order to use monetization tools like in-stream ads, Instant Articles or Branded Content, your content must adhere to some important standards and criteria before being posted.
To make sure you're in line with these guidelines, take a look at the Partner Monetization Policies*. Some important ones to note are:
Do: Share Authentic Content
Being a creator means showing the world something relatable and real - in other words, authentic. Be sure to produce and share content that means something and isn't simply a “carrot-and-stick” approach.
Some guidelines to think about for this:
Giving accurate accounts of people, businesses and products, for example, is important to maintain your integrity as a creator. Opinions are encouraged, but be careful in how you portray them. Creators and publishers posting content flagged as misinformation and false news as well as those sharing clickbait or sensationalism may be ineligible or may lose their eligibility to monetize.
Creators and publishers must authentically share content with the community. Content distribution that violates our policies related to manufactured sharing will not be eligible for monetization. Manufactured sharing is a practice where content is artificially distributed, shared or engaged with (including, but not limited to, views and comments).
We will notify you if ads are removed from your content for failing to comply with these guidelines. If you believe your content should be eligible, you can submit an appeal here. Content can be submitted for review one time, and the decision from the appeal is final.
Do: Develop an Established Presence
Creators and publishers must have an authentic, established presence on Facebook. To be eligible for all monetization features, your Page must be at least 90 days old. In order to access in-stream ads for possible use in your eligible videos, this also includes maintaining a sufficient follower base, indicated by your Facebook friends or followers. For more information on in-stream ads, check out our Getting Started article.
If you've lost access to our monetization features, but you believe you should be eligible, you can submit an appeal here. Review time depends on many factors, and we review these submissions as quickly as possible.
Don't: Post Inappropriate Content
There of course needs to be some guidelines around what content is allowed to be monetized, since not everything is appropriate to use.
For example, content that consists of or includes any of the following won't be eligible for monetization:
Tragedy and conflict
Violent content
Adult content
Drugs or alcohol abuse
Foul language
For more information and guidance around eligible and ineligible content, check out our Content Monetization Policies*.
Don't: Create Content with Little Meaning
Since Facebook prioritizes content that encourages meaningful interactions between people and videos that people seek out and return to regularly, we're also removing incentives from content that creates less value for people. Eventually, repeat abuse could result in lost access to monetization features altogether.
Be sure avoid the following:
Manufactured sharing and distribution schemes: Certain distribution activities (i.e., high volume or inorganic sharing, or incentivized sharing by your own compensated partners, etc.), or similar tactics designed to optimize for distribution over quality, are not acceptable for monetized views.
Formats unsuitable for an ad: When content partners use video formats that aren't actually video -- like static/minimal-movement videos or content that just loops — they're creating experiences not intended for in-stream ad monetization. People don't expect to see ads in this type of content, and it isn't the type of content advertisers want to run ads in.
Limited editorialization of content: Pages that primarily share videos of re-purposed clips from other sources with limited editorialization don't foster engaged, loyal communities in the same way that Pages that produce and publish original, thematic or episodic videos do. For example, simply taking an existing clip another media source and posting it on your Page doesn't show attention and care to providing the best possible (and audience-catered) content.
For more information and guidance around eligible and ineligible content, check out our Content Monetization Policies*.
Community Standards
In addition to making sure you and your content are eligible to monetize, it's important to be aware of our Community Standards around what is and what is not allowed on Facebook. We recognize how important it is for Facebook to be a place where people feel empowered to communicate, and we take our role in keeping abuse off our service seriously.
Our standards apply around the world to all types of content. They’re designed to be comprehensive – for example, content that might not be considered hate speech could still be removed for violating our bullying policies.
Facebook's system catches inappropriate material and spam before most people even see them, but we also encourage our community to confidentially report things they think might violate our standards.
For more information and guidance around eligible and ineligible content, check out our Content Monetization Policies*.
Want to take a deeper look? Navigate to our Community Standards for more.
Intellectual Property
As a creator, you work hard to create content you care about and want to share with the world. As a result, you'll want to protect your original work! That's where Intellectual Property rights come in. Facebook’s Terms of Service do not allow people to post content that violates someone else’s intellectual property rights, including copyright and trademark. See below for what you can and cannot do on Facebook.
DO share:
We want people to use Facebook to express themselves and to share content that is important to them, but not at the expense of the safety and well-being of others or the integrity of our community.
DON'T post anything that:
You did not create or that you do not own or have rights to use.
Violates these Terms, our Community Standards, and other terms and policies that apply to your use of Facebook.
Is unlawful, misleading, discriminatory or fraudulent.
Infringes or violates someone else's rights, including their rights of privacy.
Facebook takes intellectual property rights seriously and believes they are important to promoting expression, creativity, and innovation in our community. You own all of your content and information you post on Facebook, and you control how it is shared through your privacy and application settings. However, before sharing content on Facebook, please be sure you have the right to do so.
Want to take steps to ensure your work is protected? Take a look at the Rights Manager tool.
Video & Monetization Best Practices
An engaged and loyal audience has both a meaningful connection to your content and to fellow viewers. This type of audience has a direct correlation with monetization - as their intent to engage with your video content grows, so too can your monetization opportunities!
Here are a couple ideas for driving this kind of viewing behavior:
Build audiences in places on Facebook where people seek out content: Encourage audience engagement outside of News Feed on surfaces that support repeat, loyal viewership such as in Watch, on a Page or in a Group. Learn how to grow your community.
Set and fulfill the creative expectations of viewers: A consistent voice and format drives repeat viewing and longer view times. Learn how to make longer, more retentive videos.
Establish a release cadence: A set publishing schedule (e.g. once a week) encourages audiences to consistently return to watch the next video. Learn how to optimize your publishing.
Create an active experience: Sourcing topics from audiences and engaging with your fans draws them closer to the content. Learn how to create meaningful interactions with your audience.
*Our Monetization Eligibility Standards are now called Partner Monetization Policies. This Page explains our rules for users that want to earn money on Facebook. Learn more here.
*Our Content Guidelines for Monetization are now called Content Monetization Policies. This Page explains our content used to earn money on Facebook. Learn more here.
