Did you like changing up your photos with profile frames? The graphics and slogans you could put on your circular Facebook profile image were a great way to show your support for your favorite team or a holiday. Users could create their own custom frames.
Facebook is killing the feature by removing profile frames. Anti-vaxxers are to blame.
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The ability for users to create their own profile frames is no longer available. Profiles from certain government services and organizations will be the only frames available to users.
On March 21, only profile frames from certain government services or organizations will be available.
A sample of the few Facebook profile frames still available to users. Credit: Facebook
Users can see the difference immediately by scrolling through the short list of frames in the Frames Gallery. The frames from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are still available for use. Users can use the generic graphic frames created by Facebook. That is it. There aren't any other frames available.
Anti-vaxxers had to get more and more creative in spreading their misinformation on the social networking platform without getting banned, as Facebook cracked down on anti-vaccination content over the past few years. Once a frame was created, they could be shared with any Facebook user.
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The anti-vaccine sentiment quickly spread through the social media platform. There are anti-vaccine profile frames on the network. In May 2021, CNBC reached out to Facebook and they removed a number of frames because they were violating the company's vaccine misinformation policies. Similar frames continued to spread across the social network.
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Facebook began removing profile frames from the gallery that weren't created by official partners after CNBC reported on it. Users began reporting that the frame creator was disabled as well, although messaging on the creator page said it was just a temporary change.
With today's announcement, Facebook has made it clear that custom profile frames aren't coming back.
On March 21, any existing custom profile frames will be deleted from the platform. Users can download frames that they created before that date.
Those who like their current Facebook profile pic with a frame might be able to take solace in that. Facebook says users can use them. The company will not be removing the photos that were already created.
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