There is no native functionality on Facebook to directly format text with italics within posts, comments, or messages. Facebooks text editor does not support Markdown, HTML, or similar formatting languages commonly used to style text.
The inability to apply italics directly affects nuanced communication on the platform. Emphasis and tone, typically conveyed through stylistic choices like italics, are lost. This limitation has persisted since the platform’s inception, likely due to design choices favoring simplicity and consistency across different devices and operating systems.