When Rules Aren’t Really Rules: Why Facebook Groups Are Failing Local Communities

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We tried to play by the rules. Turns out, the rules don’t apply to everyone.

If you’ve ever tried posting in a local Facebook group and had your post denied for vague or inconsistent reasons, you’re not alone. Recently, we attempted to share Collective.Guide’s community calendar on a popular local Facebook group known as "Chit Chat." It was denied.

Why? Because they "already have an events section."

But here’s where it gets tricky: Other users regularly share links to their own websites, for-profit businesses, and yes—even events. The difference? Some were "cute," some had a nonprofit angle, and some, frankly, just knew the moderators. The inconsistency is more than frustrating—it's gatekeeping.

Facebook groups were created to help people connect. But when moderation becomes biased or unclear, it leaves community builders, creatives, and small business owners stuck on the outside looking in.

There Has to Be a Better Way

We created Collective.Guide to solve these exact problems:

• No arbitrary approval system
• No moderator bias
• No public posts required to find a recommendation
• No pay to play- members are sorted at random, not buying their way to the "top" spot
• NO ADS!
• No subscription necessary

Collective.Guide is built on fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity. Whether you’re a nonprofit, a for-profit, or just someone hosting a block party, your event or member listing gets the same visibility as everyone else.

FREE Event Submissions for All

Anyone can submit an event — members and users alike. Each event gets its own page with all the key info, which can be:

• Shared directly with your community
• Linked on social media or in emails
• Found by anyone browsing Collective.Guide

And here’s the best part: That page automatically disappears once the event date passes. No more guessing whether that craft show is from last weekend or next year.

We’re Not Here to Replace, We’re Here to Reroute

Collective.Guide isn’t trying to "compete" with your favorite group or be another commercialized directory. It’s a people-first, community-centered hub designed for those of us who want:

• A quieter way to discover resources without the comment noise
• A fair place to share your work or services
• A tool that helps build local trust

Because it turns out, connection doesn’t need to be complicated.

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TL;DR:When Facebook groups shut out useful community content, we all lose. Collective.Guide is here to offer a fair, shareable, bias-free space for local connection—whether you’re promoting an event or quietly browsing for a plumber.

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Want to submit an event?

‍It’s free, takes 5 minutes, and gets you a shareable listing until your event ends.

Post your event for free → Submit here

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