Facebook used to be a decent platform. It was fun. Well, sort of. For a while. But now it feels like a cesspit you wade through for the odd useful post. The rest is AI tat (or AI Slop as most people are referring to it as), scammy ads, tired “news” and links that take you round the houses before you see anything worth your time.
Tell me I’m wrong. Go on. If you can.
What Facebook actually looks like in 2025
If you think your feed is full of rubbish, it’s not in your head. Ofcom (pdf)‘s latest Online Nation report found that Facebook is the platform where UK adults were most likely to encounter “potential harms” in 2024, at 29 percent. That includes things like scams, impersonation and misleading content. For older adults, it’s even worse.
A big slice of what you see isn’t from your mates anyway. Meta’s own data shows almost a third of U.S. Feed views come from “unconnected” recommendations. Translation, stuff you didn’t ask for. Social Media Dashboard
And Facebook still dampens links. Dan Slee highlighted Meta’s Q1 2025 figures showing that link posts made up about 1.3 percent of people’s timelines. No wonder your Page links die on arrival.
The AI slop and deepfake problem
You’ve seen the fakes. Celebrity faces flogging miracle crypto, vouchers and creams. This isn’t a fringe thing. NewsGuard has tracked more than a thousand AI-generated “news” sites pumping out junk, which regularly spills into social feeds.
Meta knows it has a deepfake ad problem. It even trialled facial recognition to stop “celeb bait” scam ads after a year of high-profile fakes. Reuters
In the UK, consumer champions have pressed the regulator to act after waves of ticket and finance scams spread via Facebook. Meanwhile, Martin Lewis has repeatedly warned about deepfake scam ads using public figures to harvest bank details. CMU | the music business explained
AI-generated rubbish, deepfake endorsements, and the slurry of every ‘news’ blog posting exactly the same. That is the day-to-day reality for most users on Facebook now.
Scammy adverts, whack-a-mole enforcement
Meta has announced partnerships and tools to curb fraud, including work with UK banks to share intelligence on scammers. Good, but it remains a game of whack-a-mole. Regulators from Singapore to New York have flagged or acted against scam campaigns that ran via Facebook ads in the last year.
The UK government’s Online Fraud Charter is in place, and the Online Safety Act gives Ofcom sharper teeth. Helpful, but none of this changes the daily user experience overnight.
Organic reach is a ghost of itself
If you run a Facebook Page and don’t pay for exposure, you reach almost nobody. Industry benchmarks peg average organic reach around 1 to 2 percent in 2025. Engagement is tiny too. These are wide averages, but the direction is clear. Socialinsider.
So, is there anything still useful?
There are two small islands of value that remain.
Community Groups. Groups are the last bit that still feels human, if the moderators are strict. Independent research mapping UK districts found hundreds of active local groups in a single area, which lines up with what most of us see, and with your note that well-run groups can still be great. Dan Slee
Marketplace. If you want to flog a sofa or find a ladder, Marketplace still works. Recent estimates suggest hundreds of millions of people shop on Marketplace each month. That doesn’t fix the feed, but it explains why people keep the app. Capital One Shopping
Messaging. People expect to ping a business in Messenger or WhatsApp for quick answers. That bit is convenient.
What to do if you must still use Facebook
Keep it practical. No fluff.
- Treat the Feed as hostile territory. Post native content first. Put the link in the first comment if you must. The platform still throttles links. Dan Slee
- Put your energy into one or two niche Groups. Set entry questions, turn on post approvals, remove spam fast. It is the only way Groups stay useful.
- Use ads only with a clear local or niche goal. Tight geography, tight interest stack, short runs. Watch for spam comments and impersonators. Meta says it is improving brand and scam ad protections, but you still need to moderate. EMARKETER
- Push conversations to email or your site as soon as possible. You control the experience there.
- If you are sick of ads as a user, the UK now has a paid ad-free option for Facebook and Instagram. It will not fix the content quality, it just removes ads. The Guardian
The honest take
Facebook today is a time sink. The feed is a mix of AI slop, repeated content and scammy nonsense. You will still find the odd gem, a gig poster, a neighbour’s recommendation, a genuine community update. But you will sift a lot of muck to get there.
Questions and Answers about Facebook in 2025
Is Facebook Actually Unsafe, or Just Annoying?
Both. Data shows adults are more likely to encounter potential harm on Facebook than elsewhere. That does not mean every post is harmful, it means the risk is higher and you should be on guard.
Why Do I Keep Seeing Random Stuff That Isn’t Local?
Because a big chunk of your feed comes from algorithmic recommendations, not your friends or local Pages. Roughly a third of feed views are “unconnected”.
Do Page Posts Reach Anyone Without Paying?
Barely. Average organic reach is around 1 to 2 percent, and link posts perform worst. If reach matters, budget for ads or focus on Groups where people still interact.
Are Deepfake Ads Really That Common?
Yes. Regulators and investigators have flagged widespread deepfake and impersonation scams running on Meta’s platforms. Meta is testing technology to catch more of them, but it is ongoing.
Is There Any Point for Small Businesses?
Maybe, if you use it narrowly. Hyper-local ads, well-run Groups, and Marketplace can deliver. Treat your Page like a signpost, not your shopfront. Keep the real value on your site and email list.