Technology

Facebook displays content unavailable when owner restricts access

Facebook displays a message saying some posts cannot be viewed because the person who shared them restricted access, changed visibility settings or deleted the content, the on-screen notification says.

The notification reads: “When this happens, it’s usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it’s been deleted.” The message appears in place of posts, photos or videos that users expect to see but cannot access.

Facebook, owned by Meta Platforms Inc., offers a range of privacy controls that let users limit who can view individual posts, entire profiles or certain types of content. Users may also remove posts themselves or deactivate accounts, any of which can make previously visible material disappear from others’ timelines.

The notice can matter to journalists, researchers and everyday users who try to verify information or follow conversations and find gaps in public records. It can also indicate content was removed for policy reasons, though the on-screen message does not specify that as a cause in individual cases. We will provide more information as it becomes available.

Jon Myers

Jon Ross Myers founded Mississippi News Group in 2013. Before founding the organization, he worked at The Daily Mississippian, The Marion Salute and The Southern Sentinel. A Mississippi journalist and writer based in Ripley, he received second place in poetry in the 2025 William Faulkner Literary Competition for "The Garden."