Q&A: Fixing Typos in Facebook Comments (via NYT)

Q.

Is there a way to correct Facebook comments after you post them? I often notice hideous typos only after I’ve hit the Enter key.

A.

While it used to be that the only way to edit a bungled comment was to delete it, redo it and post it again, Facebook recently rolled out a new editing function that makes correcting typos much easier. To modify a comment after you have posted it, move the mouse cursor over the top right corner of the post until you see a pencil icon appear.

Click on the pencil icon to see a menu that offers the choice of Edit and Delete. Select the Edit option and the comment text is now ready for correction. Press the Enter key to post the edited version of the comment. If you select the wrong comment to fix or change your mind, press the Escape key on the keyboard to get out of the editing mode.

Facebook keeps track of modified comments so users can see any adjustments that have been made. Comments that have been retroactively corrected display an Edited link underneath the text. Clicking on the Edited link shows the editing history and changes made to that particular comment.

You can only edit your own comments on a page, but you can remove or report offending posts from others on your own Facebook page. To do so, move the mouse cursor over to the right side of the comment that annoyed you and click the X that appears next to it. A menu appears with the choices to Delete, Hide as Spam or Report as Abuse.