# How to Report Hate Speech on Facebook That Platforms Remove > Facebook removes attacks on protected traits, not every insult. Report hate speech or bullying separately so Meta reviews the right policy. - URL: https://www.awarexone.com/research/how-to-report-hate-speech-on-facebook-that-platforms-remove - Author: Md Shariar Shanaz Shuvon, Founder & CEO, AwareXone - Published: 2026-11-09 - Topics: Facebook, Content removal, Malaysia - Related service: Social media content removal: https://www.awarexone.com/social-media-recovery/social-media-content-removal ## Short answer Report Facebook hate speech from the post or comment menu when content attacks you or a group over a protected trait such as race, religion, disability or sexual orientation. Report bullying instead for personal insults that do not reference those traits. Screenshot the URL first. Pick the category that matches Meta's policy, not how offensive the words feel. ## Summary - Hate speech on Facebook targets people over protected traits such as race, religion or sexual orientation. - Personal insults without a protected trait usually fall under bullying and harassment, a different report category. - Report the specific post or comment, not only the Page, and keep screenshots if the first review fails. - Meta allows criticism of ideas and institutions, but removes slurs and dehumanising attacks on people. - You can often request another review if the category did not match the harm. - Nobody outside Meta can promise removal. A comment calling you stupid and a comment calling your ethnicity stupid look alike on a phone screen, but Facebook reviews them under different policies. Reporting hate speech as bullying, or bullying as spam, is one reason a justified report comes back with no action. Meta's hate speech rules cover direct attacks on people because of protected characteristics. Its bullying rules cover personal degradation that does not need a protected trait. Knowing which side of the line a post sits on changes which category gets it reviewed correctly. This guide explains what Meta's policies cover, how to report on Facebook, and what to do when the first decision seems wrong. It is general information, not legal advice. Last checked: 9 November 2026. Policy names in the app may differ slightly from Meta Transparency Center titles, so match the harm to the closest option offered. ## Quick Answer Open the post or comment, use Report, and choose hate speech when the attack targets a protected trait listed in Meta's [Hateful Conduct policy](https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/hate-speech/), such as race, religion, caste, disability or sexual orientation. Choose bullying or harassment for personal insults that do not name those traits. Screenshot the URL first. If Facebook upholds a wrong decision, check [requesting another review](https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger-app/134552198624586). ## What Does Facebook Count as Hate Speech? Meta defines hate speech as a direct attack on people, rather than concepts or institutions, on the basis of protected characteristics. Its policy lists slurs, dehumanising comparisons, calls for exclusion, and serious insults tied to those traits. Criticism of a religion as a belief system, or debate about policy, is treated differently from attacking people because they practise that religion. The policy draws that line deliberately, and reviewers look at context. ## What Falls Under Bullying Instead? Meta's [Bullying and Harassment policy](https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/bullying-harassment/) covers degradation of private individuals, unwanted repeated contact, and appearance-based mockery without referencing a protected trait. Two policies, two queues, two sets of reviewers. *Category choice matters more than how shocking the screenshot looks* | Example on Facebook | Likely policy | Why | | --- | --- | --- | | "You are worthless" | Bullying and harassment | Personal attack, no protected trait | | "People like you are worthless" | Hate speech | Group attack tied to identity | | Slur tied to ethnicity in a comment | Hate speech | Slur linked to protected trait | | Angry rant about your shop service | Often allowed as review | Business criticism, not hate speech | | Meme mocking a public figure | Public figure rules differ | Less protection than private people | ## How Do You Report Hate Speech on a Post? Facebook's [reporting page](https://www.facebook.com/help/436113899837980) says to use the menu on the post or comment, choose Report, and follow the prompts. On a Page that only posts hateful content, report the Page as well as individual posts so reviewers see the pattern. 1. Screenshot the post, URL, page name and date. 2. Report the post with the hate speech category when it fits. 3. If a comment thread is worse than the post, report those comments individually. 4. Check Support Inbox after a few days. Meta does not publish a universal timeline. ## Public Figures Versus Private People Meta applies different thresholds to public figures, journalists and private individuals. A harsh review of your restaurant may be allowed. A slur tied to your ethnicity directed at you as a private person may be hate speech. If you are unsure, screenshot the full thread so reviewers see who was targeted. ## How Reviewers Actually Decide Meta's [review teams overview](https://transparency.meta.com/enforcement/detecting-violations/how-review-teams-work/) says automated systems flag some content, and humans review reports that need context, including language and cultural nuance. That is why two similar screenshots can have different outcomes when the surrounding thread differs. ## Reporting a Page Versus One Post Hate campaigns often use a Page that shares many posts. Report the worst posts individually so each URL is in the queue, and report the Page if the profile exists mainly to attack a group or person. Reviewers need to see either severe single content or a pattern, depending on the category you chose. Comments under an otherwise neutral news article may need comment-level reports. The parent post can stay up while a slur in the thread is removed. ## If Facebook Says No Action Wrong category is the first thing to fix. A slur reported as spam may never reach hate speech reviewers. Facebook's another review flow exists for some decisions; use it once with a clearer explanation, not ten duplicate reports. In Malaysia, sustained harmful content after a fair platform report can be escalated through [MCMC's complaint channel](https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/make-a-complaint/make-a-complaint) with your evidence. That is separate from Meta's Community Standards. ## Common Mistakes That Waste a Report - Choosing spam because the language shocked you, when the issue is a slur tied to identity. - Reporting the whole article when only one comment contains hate. - Quoting the slur in your public reply instead of reporting the original. - Asking followers to pile on reports without describing the policy breach in the first filing. - Expecting removal for political disagreement that does not attack protected traits. Screenshots with visible URL and date matter when you request another review. Vague descriptions force reviewers to hunt for context that may already be gone. Keep a simple log: post URL, category chosen, date reported, and Support Inbox outcome. That log helps MCMC or a lawyer later without forcing you to re-find deleted threads. If you manage a community Page, train moderators to report hate in comments early, before threads grow so large that reviewers must read hundreds of neutral replies to find one slur. ## When a Case Review Makes Sense Most people need only one accurate report. SocialSafe by AwareXone helps when a Page or group publishes repeated hate targeting your community, when several reports were miscategorised, or when you need help mapping each post to the policy it breaks. We never ask for passwords. Read [how we work](https://www.awarexone.com/trust). ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Does Facebook remove political criticism as hate speech? Often no, when the content criticises policies or institutions rather than attacking people because of protected traits. ### Can I report a whole Facebook group for hate? Yes, report the group from Options below the cover photo, and report the worst posts individually too. ### Is hate speech in Messenger reported the same way? Report from inside the conversation. Choose the category that matches the message content. ### Will the poster know I reported them? Standard community reports do not identify the reporter to the person reported. ### Should I reply with my own slurs to prove a point? No. You risk your own account being actioned, and you give moderators more hostile content to read. ### What if the hate is in Bahasa Malaysia or Chinese? Report anyway. Meta routes some languages to reviewers with relevant expertise, though outcomes still vary. ## Official sources - [Meta Transparency: Hateful conduct policy](https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/hate-speech/) - [Meta Transparency: Bullying and harassment policy](https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/bullying-harassment/) - [Meta Transparency: How review teams work](https://transparency.meta.com/enforcement/detecting-violations/how-review-teams-work/) - [Facebook Help Center: Report a post](https://www.facebook.com/help/436113899837980) - [Facebook Help Center: Request another review](https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger-app/134552198624586) - [MCMC: Make a complaint](https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/make-a-complaint/make-a-complaint) --- AwareXone is an independent provider serving clients worldwide, not affiliated with any platform. The platform makes the final decision on every account. AwareXone never asks for passwords, OTP codes, backup codes or session cookies.