Changes in Facebook Marketplace

There’s a subtle buzz happening in social media today, particularly Facebook. It is something in relation to the ones who’ve been taking advantage of various Buy & Sell Groups in selling animals for a long time. Simply speaking, Facebook is now rejecting such activities. Well such rejection doesn’t come from its group admins. Rather, it was a directive from Facebook higher officials itself.

Where is the Ban Happening?

This is basically happening throughout Facebook. The thing is, it’s focused primarily on the Buy & Sell groups across Facebook. Anything that is using Facebook’s “Sell Something” feature in listing animal services, animals and any other animal products for adoption or sale has been banned.

Which Section does this Rule Appear? It doesn’t Show in Community Guidelines

One thing you have to know, you will not find it in the community guidelines. The rule supersedes everything listed on community guidelines. The fact is, the rule exists on the Commerce Policy page of Facebook itself.

Virtually, it’s an “orphan” page and not linked to by and any of Facebook’s Help pages. Truth is, if you make use of a backlink checker, it would look like everyone else is linking to it except, on Facebook.

I’m only here to sell a Puppy and not Literally in Business. Does it Apply to me?

Simply speaking, this would seem as if the Commerce Policy page does not apply to you. The answer to this question is answerable by Yes and No.

This rule has been put in place for years but is unenforced. While Commerce Policy hasn’t been thoroughly applied across Facebook groups, it’s been used in the screening of various promoted posts as well as other Facebook ads. And in 2016, it gave Facebook new reasons for applying the rule among group posts.

Because in 2016, there came the Facebook Marketplace. It is what changed and after Facebook launched it out, they want to bring a platform within Facebook for selling and buying selling virtually everything. This includes pots, pans, cars, houses, everything. There’s only an exception, Animals. Then of course, the usual suspects, sex, drugs, guns and other unregulated or illegal things in the world. After all, selling animals require special papers according to PetFriendlyPDX.