Facebook is blocking posts about Linux

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https://distrowatch.com/weekly-mobile.php?issue=20250127#sitenews

Starting on January 19, 2025 Facebook’s internal policy makers decided that Linux is malware and labelled groups associated with Linux as being “cybersecurity threats”. Any posts mentioning DistroWatch and multiple groups associated with Linux and Linux discussions have either been shut down or had many of their posts removed.

We’ve been hearing all week from readers who say they can no longer post about Linux on Facebook or share links to DistroWatch. Some people have reported their accounts have been locked or limited for posting about Linux.

The sad irony here is that Facebook runs much of its infrastructure on Linux and often posts job ads looking for Linux developers…

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Aage Takvam, SueW, jburk07, NaNoNyMouse

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The Register and pcmag are reporting that the ban has now been lifted, apparently the result of an “enforcement error.” I was not successful in posting a link but a search turned up those articles.

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jburk07 wrote:

The Register and pcmag are reporting that the ban has now been lifted, apparently the result of an “enforcement error.” I was not successful in posting a link but a search turned up those articles.

Here is one of the links you probably wanted to include in your post:

https://www.pcmag.com/news/facebook-accidentally-blocks-users-from-posting-about-linux

Strangely, I didn’t find anything on The Register itself about the lifted ban, but I did find a story about Meta banning the Distrowatch editor and any mention of Distrowatch on Facebook due to Distrowatch’s mentioning of the Linux ban:

https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/28/facebook_blocks_distrowatch/

In the latest installment of its weekly newsletter, the smaller site’s editor, Jesse Smith, claimed his efforts to report the issue got him blocked:

I’ve tried to appeal the ban and was told the next day that Linux-related material is staying on the cybersecurity filter. My Facebook account was also locked for my efforts.

I added the bolding in the quote above.

Oh, the irony!

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SueW, Alex5723, jburk07

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