Technology Lesson: Facebook blocking

Most social media outlets include the option to BLOCK other users. This is handy if someone is harassing you. It's great for me when I find that lurking brings me down. Or when I want to maintain a level of privacy with particularly obnoxious people Out There on the Internet.

Hopefully your social media experiences are positive ones. If that's not the case, or you're hoping for the preservation of your sanity, I'm happy to help.


This is a slightly more complicated method than the one at the end of this lessons. It's a good idea though if you have multiple people to block.

1. Log in to Facebook.

2. Go to your privacy settings. (Click the small triangle at the right end of the blue bar at the
top of the screen and click PRIVACY SETTINGS.)

3. Scroll to the bottom. Find BLOCKED PEOPLE AND APPS. Click MANAGE BLOCKING, which you'll find to the right.

4. Go to BLOCK USERS. Fill in the blanks. You only need one. If you fill NAME, type the person's name and click BLOCK. A box will appear with people with that name. If you are blocking John Doe, you might want to try E-MAIL if that person's e-mail is available to you.

5. The person's name will appear under the two fields in blue. UNBLOCK will appear next to the name. You can unblock this person at any time. However, Facebook will make you 24 hours if you want to block the person again.

You can also go to the person's page and click the small cog wheel at the top right of that person's page. 

Click REPORT/BLOCK from the drop down menu. You'll get this:

Click block. If this is a person harassing you, or bothering you, choose from the provided options.

Facebook will NOT contact the person you have blocked. After the person is blocked, you will not see his or her name in the search bar, will not see his or her comments on your wall or anyone else's page