Name:	bzfd_CapitalizedSoftwareEnhancementsUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix:	bzfd_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

For an entity that discloses a concentration risk in relation to quantitative amount, which serves as the "benchmark" (or denominator) in the equation, this concept represents the concentration percentage derived from the division.

No definition available.

Name:	bzfd_ConcentrationRisksPercentage1
Namespace Prefix:	bzfd_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the number of customers.

No definition available.

Name:	bzfd_NumberOfCustomers
Namespace Prefix:	bzfd_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the number of letters of credit.

No definition available.

Name:	bzfd_NumberOfLettersOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	bzfd_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount of assets pledged to secure a debt instrument.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123599511&loc=d3e64711-112823

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCollateralAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of tax benefit for recognition of expense of award under share-based payment arrangement.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of investment in equity security without readily determinable fair value.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 321
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123583765&loc=SL75117539-209714

Name:	us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesWithoutReadilyDeterminableFairValueAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of gain from upward price adjustment on investment in equity security without readily determinable fair value.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 321
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123583765&loc=SL75117539-209714

Name:	us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesWithoutReadilyDeterminableFairValueUpwardPriceAdjustmentAnnualAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of capitalized film cost for film predominantly monetized on its own and films predominantly monetized with other films and license agreements as group.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 926
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120154689&loc=SL120155198-107958

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 926
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120154689&loc=d3e54369-107958

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 926
-SubTopic 20
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123377236&loc=d3e53371-107955

Name:	us-gaap_FilmCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of impairment loss on capitalized cost for film predominantly monetized on its own and film group.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 926
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120154696&loc=SL120155252-107959

Name:	us-gaap_FilmMonetizedOnItsOwnAndFilmGroupImpairment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of amortization expense for capitalized film cost for film predominantly monetized on its own and film predominantly monetized with other films and license agreements.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 926
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120154696&loc=SL120155244-107959

Name:	us-gaap_FilmMonetizedOnItsOwnAndFilmMonetizedInFilmGroupAmortizationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

The aggregate amount of write-downs for impairments recognized during the period for long lived assets held for use (including those held for disposal by means other than sale).

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123570139&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109226691&loc=d3e2921-110230

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123351718&loc=d3e2420-110228

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

The equity interest of noncontrolling shareholders, partners or other equity holders in consolidated entity.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByNoncontrollingOwners
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The parent entity's interest in net assets of the subsidiary, expressed as a percentage.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Useful life of long lived, physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Examples include, but not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount of unrecognized tax benefits.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123427490&loc=SL37586934-109318

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=SL6600010-109319

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_FurnitureAndFixturesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_LeaseholdsAndLeaseholdImprovementsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_ComputerEquipmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=bzfd_VideoEquipmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis=us-gaap_CustomerConcentrationRiskMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis=us-gaap_AccountsReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_MajorCustomersAxis=bzfd_FourCustomersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_MajorCustomersAxis=bzfd_TwoCustomersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_MajorCustomersAxis=bzfd_ThreeCustomersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis=us-gaap_RevenueFromContractWithCustomerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_OwnershipAxis=bzfd_BuzzfeedJapanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=bzfd_ZHoldingsCorporationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: