About

Facebook Custom Background Posts refers to a feature on the Facebook operating system that allows users to create custom backgrounds and text for status updates. Since the feature's launch, users have noticed a phenomenon of people using them inappropriately, placing humorous backgrounds on serious status updates.

Origin

Facebook launched custom backgrounds on their Android operating system application in December 2016 (example below). On December 19th, 2016, TechCrunch^[1] reported on the new feature with a spokesperson saying at the time, "We’re rolling out a change to help people make their text posts more visual. Starting today, people can update the background color of their text-only posts on Android."

Spread

Following the addition of the feature, some online noticed certain users posting colorful backgrounds for serious and sad updates. For example, on September 16th, 2017, Redditor ^[2] DewMeTender posted a status in the /r/oldpeoplefacebook subreddit that reads, "Amy happy easter our brothers has bone cancer. Call me." The post received more than 30,000 points (95% upvoted) and 310 comments in two years (shown below, left).

On November 2nd, 2018, Redditor^[3] pikadrew posted a banner that reads, "It's with great sadness in my heart that my 49 year old son, Shane, died this morning." The post received more than 40,000 points (95% upvoted) 540 comments in less than one year (shown below, center).

The following year, on April 18th, Twitter ^[4] user @dogwithablog_69 shared the post, along with several others, in a thread that entitled "old people facebook banners: a thread." The post received more than 22,000 retweets and 64,000 likes in three days.

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References