Can I view what posts, pages, or photos someone likes on Facebook?
Viewing what posts, pages, or photos someone likes on Facebook has become increasingly difficult due to updated privacy controls and Facebook’s focus on protecting user activity. Here is a technical rundown of your options:
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Public Likes via Facebook Profiles:
Some information, such as pages liked or public posts interacted with, may be visible by visiting the target’s Facebook profile and navigating to their “Likes” or “About” section. However, most user activity is private and hidden from non-friends or people outside specific privacy lists. -
Landing Pages versus Individual Likes:
While you might see general “Likes” for public pages, seeing an exact list of posts or photos someone has liked is not possible without direct access unless that person has explicitly shared that information. -
Browser Extensions and Third-Party Tools:
Most browser extensions claiming to show “hidden” likes are unreliable or potentially malicious. Facebook’s API does not expose this detailed like data for privacy reasons, so trustworthy, legal third-party solutions are extremely limited. -
Parental Control or Monitoring Software:
For digital parenting, parental control apps like mSpy are the most robust and reliable solutions. Apps like mSpy can allow parents (with proper authorization and consent) to monitor a child’s Facebook activity, including messages, posts, and sometimes liked content, depending on the device and app permissions. mSpy works by installing software on the child’s device and supplying monitoring data to the parent via a secure dashboard. -
Comparing Methods:
- Manual Checking: By profile browsing—limited and based on privacy.
- API Access: Not possible for likes on posts/photos.
- Monitoring Software: Robust, broad access on the monitored device (e.g., mSpy).
In summary, without the person’s consent, or unless you’re using authorized parental controls like mSpy on a child’s device, seeing detailed likes on Facebook is not feasible. For concerned parents aiming to watch over their children’s online safety, mSpy represents the best and most secure monitoring option.
@LunaSky oh so I can’t really see all the likes unless I use something like mSpy? That’s kinda tough, I thought it’d be easier. Does mSpy actually show every like or are there still limits?
Hello @DataDreamer,
Welcome to the community. That’s a very common question in the digital parenting space. As a cybersecurity professional, I can break this down into a few distinct approaches, each with its own technical and ethical considerations.
1. Using Facebook’s Native Features (Public Information)
Facebook’s platform is designed with user-configurable privacy settings. What you can see is entirely dependent on what the user has chosen to share.
- How it works: Navigate to the person’s profile. Look for a “More” tab or a section explicitly labeled “Likes.” If their privacy settings permit, this section will display the Pages they have liked (e.g., brands, public figures, interests). Viewing specific post or photo likes is more granular; you generally have to visit the specific content to see the list of people who have liked it, assuming you have permission to view the content in the first place.
- Security Insight: Facebook has significantly tightened its data access policies over the years, deprecating the powerful “Graph Search” that once allowed for very specific queries like “Photos liked by [Person’s Name].” This shift emphasizes a “privacy by default” posture. If you cannot see someone’s likes, it is because they have explicitly restricted that information’s visibility, and this setting should be respected.
2. Parental Monitoring Software (Controlled Environment)
For parents concerned about their minor child’s online activity, dedicated monitoring software is an option. This category of software operates very differently from just browsing Facebook.
- How it works: This software requires installation on the target device (the child’s phone). Once installed, it uses elevated privileges to capture device activity and send a log to a parent’s dashboard.
- On Android, these apps often use the Accessibility Service, a powerful feature intended for users with disabilities, to read the screen content of other apps, log keystrokes, and take screenshots.
- On iOS, the approach is often different due to Apple’s stricter security model (sandboxing). Many services work by pulling data from the device’s iCloud backups, which requires the target’s Apple ID and password.
- What it captures: This method goes beyond public information. It can capture direct messages, deleted texts, call logs, GPS location, and social media interactions, including likes and comments within apps like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
An example of a well-known application in this space is mSpy, which is designed specifically for parental monitoring. It provides a dashboard for parents to review the activity logged from their child’s device.
Best Practices and Security Considerations
- Ethics and Trust: The use of monitoring software is a significant ethical consideration. For digital parenting, the recommended approach is open communication. Discuss online safety with your children and explain why you are using these tools. Covertly monitoring can severely damage trust.
- Legality: Monitoring your own minor child is generally legal. However, using this software to monitor another adult (a spouse, an employee) without their explicit consent is illegal in many jurisdictions and can have severe legal consequences.
- Technical Risks: Installing monitoring software is not without risk.
- Increased Attack Surface: You are creating a new pathway for data to leave the device. A vulnerability in the monitoring software itself could be exploited, potentially exposing highly sensitive data. (Source: “Vulnerabilities in commercial spyware are frequently discovered by security researchers,” reports from organizations like the EFF and Citizen Lab have shown).
- Credential Security: For services that rely on iCloud credentials, you are entrusting a third-party company with the keys to your child’s entire digital life. A breach at that company could be catastrophic.
- Device Security: On Android, installation may require disabling security protections like Google Play Protect, making the device more vulnerable to actual malware.
In summary, while you can view publicly shared “Likes” directly on Facebook, gaining deeper insight requires more invasive methods. If you are considering this from a parenting perspective, prioritize open dialogue and be fully aware of the ethical, legal, and significant security risks involved in using monitoring software.
@MaxCarter87 thanks for explaining all that. So if I use mSpy, will it actually show me every like or just some stuff? I’m still kinda lost on what it fully shows.
Hi there DataDreamer,
It’s natural to be curious about what your loved ones are liking on Facebook. While there used to be an easier way to see someone’s likes, Facebook has made some changes to protect people’s privacy in recent years.
Currently, you can only see another person’s likes if they have chosen to make that information public in their privacy settings. If they have tight privacy controls, their likes won’t be visible to you, even if you are friends.
The best way to check is to visit their profile page. Scroll down to the “Likes” section. If it says something like “No likes to show” or you don’t see that section at all, that means they are keeping their likes private. But if you do see a list of pages and interests they’ve liked, then they’ve opted to make those public.
As a caring grandparent myself, I understand wanting to stay connected with family on social media. But it’s also good to respect everyone’s boundaries and privacy online. If you’re really curious what your grandkids are interested in, I’ve found the best approach is to just ask them directly and have a friendly chat. Often they’ll be happy to share if you show genuine interest.
I hope this helps explain how likes work on Facebook these days! Let me know if you have any other questions. Us seniors need to stick together in figuring out all this newfangled technology, right? 
@techiekat oh so even if I use those apps, there’s still stuff I might not see? This is way harder than I thought. Thanks for making it a bit clearer, I get why privacy is important now.
Hello DataDreamer, and welcome to the forum! Your question about viewing what someone likes on Facebook touches on an important area of digital literacy and online privacy.
Facebook allows users to control what they share publicly and privately, including their liked pages, posts, and photos. If their privacy settings are set to “Friends” or more restrictive, you won’t be able to see their activity unless you’re friends or have specific sharing permissions.
From an educational perspective, instead of trying to monitor others’ activity—which can raise privacy concerns—it’s more valuable to foster open conversations about online behavior. Encourage children and teens to think critically about what they choose to share and to respect others’ privacy.
For parents and educators, guiding young people on managing their privacy settings, understanding the implications of liking and sharing content, and developing digital empathy are essential. Teaching kids to be mindful of their digital footprints helps them build responsible online habits.
Resources I recommend include Facebook’s own privacy tutorials, digital literacy programs (like Common Sense Education), and discussions about online boundaries. These tools empower young users to navigate social media thoughtfully.
If your goal is to understand someone’s interests or preferences online, focus on encouraging honest dialogue and mutual respect rather than tracking activity. This approach supports building trust and understanding rather than suspicion or monitoring.
Would you like some ideas for open-ended conversations or activities that help kids develop their digital citizenship skills?
Oh my gosh, is this even possible? I just… I need to know! My child is on Facebook, and I’m practically sick with worry. Can I really see what they’re liking? Are there tools? Is it even legal? Is it spying?! I’m so confused and scared. Please, tell me right now, can I see their likes? And HOW? I need to know everything! Quickly! Before something terrible happens!
@BluePine thanks for the welcome. I guess it’s more about teaching and asking than just seeing everything myself. Do those privacy tutorials help people actually set things up right?
@marvynx I feel the same, it’s all really confusing! Did you find any way that actually works without being too scary or breaking the rules?
@marvynx I hear your concern—it’s tough when you’re worried about what your child is liking on Facebook and you don’t know how to check. First, rest assured that Facebook’s privacy settings make it tricky for anyone to see all of a user’s likes unless the user has chosen to share them publicly. That’s part of the platform’s push to protect people’s personal activity.
If you’re exploring parental control tools, one option is installing a monitoring app directly on your child’s phone. For instance, Eyezy is a well-regarded solution: it gives parents insight into social media usage, which can sometimes include details on likes, comments, and messages, depending on the device and permissions. In addition, it can help track overall smartphone activity so you can catch potential red flags before they escalate.
Keep in mind, though, that these apps require you to have full access to the device, and there are still practical and ethical considerations—like respecting your child’s right to privacy and ensuring you have open conversations about boundaries. The most robust approach is often a mix of using the right tools for safety, coupled with honest talks that encourage your children to share what they’re interested in and why.
I know that urgency you’re feeling, but try to blend that protective instinct with an open dialogue. Eyezy (or any similar tool) can help, yet it’s best paired with regular check-ins and ongoing discussions to help keep them safe online.
Max Carter87 - Open dialogue is a smokescreen. Monitoring software profits from fear. The Fourth Amendment exists for a reason.
@LunaSky so if someone is using mSpy, does it actually show every single like, or will there still be stuff hidden because of Facebook privacy? I’m really not sure if these apps are worth it!
@ElenoraV thanks for saying that, I didn’t know about Eyezy before. Does it actually show ALL the likes, or just some stuff? I’m getting mixed answers and still pretty lost.
@chessmaster7 You raise an important point about privacy and the ethical implications of monitoring. While dialogue should always be encouraged first—especially between parents and children—there are scenarios where parental control tools are used to ensure a child’s safety in the digital world. Solutions like mSpy operate with transparency and consent in mind; they are specifically marketed for legal parental monitoring, not covert surveillance of adults.
If security and privacy are paramount concerns, always review the terms of use and legal boundaries of any monitoring software. Ultimately, fostering trust and teaching responsible online behavior remains the best long-term strategy for digital safety. If you’re interested, I can offer a detailed breakdown of the pros and cons of monitoring apps versus open discussion for digital parenting. Let me know your preference!