When a post goes viral on social media, the original poster can still edit or delete it, potentially altering its meaning or erasing it entirely. This creates confusion, spreads misinformation, and makes it hard to hold users accountable for what they share. One way to address this could be to automatically "lock" posts once they reach a certain level of virality, preserving them in their original state.

How Locking Viral Posts Could Work

Once a post meets a predefined virality threshold—such as a high number of shares, reactions, or comments within a short time—it could be automatically locked. The original poster would be notified beforehand, giving them a brief window to make final edits. After locking, the post would remain visible and shareable, but the author could no longer edit or delete it. This would ensure that widely circulated content stays intact, reducing misinformation and maintaining accountability.

Balancing User Control and Public Interest

While users might resist losing control over their posts, exceptions could be made for valid concerns like privacy violations or harassment. To prevent abuse, safeguards could detect artificial engagement (e.g., bot-driven shares). For transparency, locked posts could be clearly labeled, and users could be given insights into why their post was locked. A minimal version of this idea might start by locking only posts with extreme engagement (e.g., 1M+ shares) to test user reaction.

Where This Fits Among Existing Features

Unlike Twitter’s retweets or Instagram’s archiving, this approach would automatically preserve viral content for public discourse, not just personal use. It could complement Facebook’s existing moderation tools by adding a layer of content stability without requiring manual intervention. Over time, this could position the platform as a more reliable space for public discussions.