There seems to be a common misconception that you can’t share a great article that you come across in a closed Facebook group. That’s not true, and we’ll explain.
First, it’s important to understand what a “closed” Facebook group is and what it’s intended for. Closed groups are simply groups that require you to be a member in order to see content from the group. They provide a modicum of privacy to their members who often share personal details about themselves and their families. Only fellow members will see their posts which are otherwise shielded from “outside” readers, search engines, and the like.
There are many closed groups dedicated to food allergy that provide excellent forums for individuals to seek and offer advice. Some groups focus on specific allergens – like peanuts, tree nuts, sesame or soy – while others are broader in scope, addressing the additional concerns of coeliac disease, asthma, eczema, EoE, alpha-gal, etc. You can find these forums by entering keywords into the Facebook search bar and clicking the “Groups” result option.
Posts in closed groups exclude the “share” option to prevent you from sharing another member’s private information which is never appropriate to do. That said, You can share external (public) content – such as might be cross-posted from a blog or a news bureau – despite the lack of a share option.
To do so, simply click on the post to view the article at the source. Often, the article itself will provide buttons that make it easy to share on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and other popular sites. If not, your Facebook app provides a share button that allows you to share the content. As a last resort, you can simply copy the article’s URL (link) and paste it into a subsequent post or e-mail. Voila!
Please note that it is never appropriate to share a member’s private post. Always respect the privacy of your fellow group members and insist they do likewise.
