friendsonly

Friendsonly is a privacy or access-control concept used on social networks and online platforms to restrict content to a user’s approved friends list rather than to the public or all contacts. When content is marked as friendsonly, only users who are connected as friends can view it, while non-friends may see little or nothing, depending on the platform’s rules.

The term is used as a descriptive label for audience restrictions that are common across many services. Platforms implement similar options under various names, such as friends-only, private, or restricted access. Functionality often allows users to specify who counts as a friend, and some services offer additional lists (for example, close friends) to further refine visibility. The exact behavior can vary: some settings apply to individual posts, albums, or profiles, while others apply to broader account sections like timelines or contact information.

Practically, friendsonly settings give users control over personal information and content exposure, reducing potential reputational or safety risks and helping manage audience. However, limitations exist: trusted friends may still share content beyond the intended scope, and some platforms make exceptions for certain interactions or metadata. Additionally, changes in friend lists can alter past visibility, depending on platform policies.

History and usage have grown with the expansion of granular privacy controls on social networks beginning in the 2000s. Today, friendsonly remains a common privacy modality, though implemented with platform-specific terminology and options.

See also: privacy settings, audience restrictions, access control lists, friend lists.