The gray box comment issue on Facebook, explained | Snopes.com
At the start of March 2025, social media users began seeing gray or black boxes appear on Facebook when attempting to leave a comment. Posts on Reddit and Facebook asked for a fix or raised alarm over the issue.
Online users debated what the rectangles were; while some said it was just a bug or glitch, others insisted it indicated that Facebook was surveilling or censoring comments. One Facebook commenter noted, "All you have to do is type the word 'Trump' … and it appears." This led to speculations that the issue was intentional rather than a technical glitch.
The Interpretation
Snopes readers questioned whether the transparent boxes indicated people were being "tracked or censored." One reader shared an artificial intelligence-generated overview suggesting that the "gray filter" flagged posts for potentially violating community standards.
As of the latest update, gray or black boxes may appear when leaving a comment on Facebook using a device running iOS, Apple's mobile operating system. However, it remains unclear if this issue affects Android devices.
The Explanation
According to Tracy Clayton, a spokesperson for Meta (Facebook's parent company), the gray boxes resulted from a bug in a version of Facebook for iOS released on March 1. A fix has been submitted and is expected to be rolled out soon.
Despite speculation, there is no evidence to suggest that the gray boxes are related to Facebook's efforts in AI training or content moderation. It is possible that the rectangles are a result of a tagging system glitch rather than intentional surveillance or censorship.
Investigating the Issue
Multiple tests indicated that certain keywords triggered the appearance of gray boxes, such as "Donald" and "Jane Doe." Using the "@" function to tag any Facebook account consistently reproduced the issue, pointing towards a glitch in the tagging system.
Switching to the emoji or GIF keyboard made the gray box disappear, reinforcing the notion that it is likely a technical glitch rather than a deliberate action by Facebook.
Final Insights
While the exact cause of the gray box issue remains unclear, evidence suggests it is not a mechanism for censorship or surveillance. Meta's ongoing AI training initiatives do not necessitate the use of such visual cues on Facebook.
Facebook's process for notifying users of content removal based on Community Standards violations aims to provide transparency and feedback for users. The company does not mention the gray box issue in its guidelines, indicating it is not part of their standard procedures.
For further information on Meta's technology and community standards:
