Facebook Now Allowing You to Edit Old and New Comments

News
By published

Facebook is rolling out an update that will allow users to edit comments on posts after the fact.

If you're a savvy Facebook user, you probably already knew that Facebook had a ninja-edit setting that allowed you to edit your comment by clicking 'x' right after you posted. This would bring up the comment text and allow you to make changes and repost without duplicating your comment or deleting and starting over. This feature was handy, but it had its flaws. The option was only available for a few seconds after you hit post, and the comment became permanent if someone posted immediately after you. 

Now Facebook is rolling out a fleshed out version of this feature. Now, when posting comments, you will see a little pencil symbol in the right-hand corner. Clicking this will bring up options to delete or edit your comment. If you choose to edit, your comment will be updated to include 'edited' hyperlink. Anyone who clicks on this will be able to see all versions of the comment, including the original, unedited comment.

 

It's a nifty feature, and one that many will no doubt find useful. The fact that it preserves your error forever in the edit history is less nifty but necessary if we're to prevent people completely altering statements unbeknownst to their fellow Facebookers. Oh, and in case you were wondering, this new feature is available for new and old comments. Edit away!

Follow @JaneMcEntegart on Twitter.                        

Jane McEntegart

Jane McEntegart works in marketing communications at Intel and was previously Manager of Content Marketing at ASUS North America. Before that, she worked for more than seven years at Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware, holding such roles as Contributing Editor and Senior News Editor and writing about everything from smartphones to tablets and games consoles.

28 Comments Comment from the forums
  • memadmax
    OOOOOOO.oooo, this makes me want to jump up and buy 1 million shares of Facebook RIGHT NOW.....

    NOT.
    Reply
  • nebun
    about time...what took so long?
    Reply
  • Devoteicon
    And the last horse finally crosses the finish line.
    Reply
  • javaskull
    This is going to be fantastic for trolling. I can't wait to post something inflammatory, then edit it to something innocuous, and then to complain about the flames I get.
    Reply
  • Antimatter79
    I wonder how complicated prosecutions would become when someone commits a crime and makes a self-incriminating post, then goes back and edits it.
    Reply
  • A Bad Day
    Any changes to their ToS?
    Reply
  • AznCracker
    Good. It was annoying when you noticed a grammatical or spelling error and could not change it.
    Reply
  • only noobs who have no life and have no respect for their own privacy use facebook.
    welcome to the internet.
    Reply
  • SteelCity1981
    so no when you call someone a whore on facebook and they call you out on it you can edit it 54 months after you said it and erase it and say i didn't say that i said you were a bore. lol
    Reply
  • 11796pcs
    Seriously, Facebook didn't have this (I wouldn't know, I don't use it)? No one ever thought of including an edit feature? This is basic stuff.
    Reply