Meta AI wrongful permanent account suspensions: Difference between revisions
Dinkster9000 (talk | contribs) Initiated Background and Lawsuit sections, added sources. |
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|Type=Service Termination, Digital restrictions | |Type=Service Termination, Digital restrictions | ||
|Description=Considerable amounts of people wrongfully permanently banned by Meta's AI content moderation. Permanent ban with no human involvement. | |Description=Considerable amounts of people wrongfully permanently banned by Meta's AI content moderation. Permanent ban with no human involvement. | ||
}}Since 2024, Meta platform users, chiefly Facebook and Instagram, are facing erroneous permanent account suspensions, most commonly under allegations of breaking the platform's rules on Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and Account Integrity. <ref>{{Cite news |last=Fraser |first=Graham |date= | }}{{StubNotice}} | ||
Since 2024, [[Meta]] platform users, chiefly Facebook and Instagram, are facing erroneous permanent account suspensions, most commonly under allegations of breaking the platform's rules on Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and Account Integrity. <ref>{{Cite news |last=Fraser |first=Graham |date=2025-07-03|title='There is a problem': Facebook and Instagram users complain of account bans |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgnp9ykm3xo |work=BBC News}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite news |last=Fraser |first=Graham |date=2025-07-09|title=Instagram wrongly accuses some users of breaching child sex abuse rules |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8kjdz9nr3o |work=BBC News}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite news |last=Fraser |first=Graham |date=2025-08-15 |title=Angry, confused and worried about police – behind Instagram bans |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce8307ge49eo |work=BBC News}}</ref> Users are provided no reason or explanation for the decision. Appealing the decision usually results in prompt denial. Following this, users are unable to appeal again or contact human support to try and regain their accounts, unless subscribing to Meta Verified. The user's identity is permanently banned from all Meta platforms, as creating a new account with their real name prompts an ID and photo verification, which results in any new account made being instantly suspended. These account suspensions are most likely caused purely by AI systems with no human input in the process, as they've started to occur following Meta's deployment of AI to enforce platform rules in 2023. <ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Watson |first=Brittany |title=Meta Wrongfully Disabling Accounts with No Human Customer Support |url=https://www.change.org/p/meta-wrongfully-disabling-accounts-with-no-human-customer-support?recruiter=1374427039&recruited_by_id=a5af1850-3737-11f0-8426-c32e0d2570de&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=petition_dashboard&utm_medium=copylink |website=Change.org}}</ref> | |||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
{{Ph-I-B}}Meta | {{Ph-I-B}} | ||
===AI powered community standards enforcement=== | |||
Meta publicly states they use machine learning and AI to enforce their platform community standards. <ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-11-12|title=How enforcement technology works |url=https://transparency.meta.com/en-us/enforcement/detecting-violations/how-enforcement-technology-works/ |website=Meta transparency center}}</ref> Meta's page outlines how AI is used to detect and take action on content against the community standards, but is rather vague at stating if human review is implemented for violations. Some paragraphs indicate that sometimes the entire process is handled by AI. <ref>{{Cite web |date=12 Nov 2024 |title=How Meta prioritizes content for review |url=https://transparency.meta.com/en-us/policies/improving/prioritizing-content-review/ |website=Meta transparency center}}</ref> Since this enforcement strategy was implemented by Meta, wrongful account bans for violating CSE or account integrity standards have been on the rise. | |||
===Lack of human support=== | |||
Impacted Facebook and Instagram users in Reddit communities <ref>{{Cite web |title=r/facebookdisabledme |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/facebookdisabledme/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=r/InstagramDisabledHelp |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/InstagramDisabledHelp/}}</ref> and ones who contacted news outlets share their experiences and frustration following account suspension, attempting to appeal the decision and contact support to resolve the issue. Meta do not offer any form of support contacts outside of paying Meta Verified customers. Impacted users share differing experiences. For most, Meta Verified proves completely unhelpful, with responses appearing to be AI or taken from a rigid script, stuck in a cycle of awaiting updates from Meta regarding their accounts. <ref>{{Cite news |last=Smee |first=Michael |date=5 Aug 2025 |title=Teacher wrongly accused by Meta of child exploitation gets Instagram account back — and an apology |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/teacher-wrongly-accused-child-exploitation-meta-account-apology-1.7599595 |work=CBC News}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite news |last=Perez |first=Sarah |date=2 Jul 2025 |title=Meta users say paying for Verified support has been useless in the face of mass bans |url=https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/02/meta-users-say-paying-for-verified-support-has-been-useless-in-the-face-of-mass-bans/ |work=TechCrunch}}</ref> | |||
"In ''2023, Meta rolled out massive AI-driven moderation changes.'' By 2024–2025, these systems were flagging real people at unprecedented scale — especially on Instagram. And Meta’s 'support system' is paywalled. Even paying users are ignored." states the Hold Meta accountable petition led by People Over Platforms Worldwide, a movement created in response to the account suspensions. <ref name=":1" /> | |||
==[Incident]== | ==[Incident]== | ||
{{Ph-I-I}} | {{Ph-I-I}} | ||
=== | ===Meta's response=== | ||
{{Ph-I-ComR}} | {{Ph-I-ComR}} | ||
Although Meta have admitted to wrongfully deleting Facebook groups in June 2025 <ref>{{Cite news |last=Fraser |first=Graham |date=26 Jun 2025 |title=Meta admits wrongly suspending Facebook Groups but denies wider problem |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3r9nwgvwy3o |work=BBC News}}</ref>, they remain silent and refuse to acknowledge the ongoing wrongful user account suspensions, even when prompted by various major news media. | |||
==Lawsuit== | ==Lawsuit== | ||
{{Ph-I-L}} | {{Ph-I-L}} | ||
Amicus Law opened a Meta class action member inquiry and application page where users affected by the account suspensions can submit their experiences. <ref>{{Cite web |date=20 | Amicus Law opened a Meta class action member inquiry and application page where users affected by the account suspensions can submit their experiences. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-20 |title=Meta Class Action - Class Member Inquiry & Application |url=https://forms.zohopublic.com/amicuslawpcus1/form/MetaClassActionClassMemberInquiryApplication/formperma/G5JyKtimIs8PufDR4vs5RC-yEHZZXpapABxyvN4X8lI}}</ref> | ||
==Consumer response== | ==Consumer response== | ||
{{Ph-I-ConR}} | {{Ph-I-ConR}} | ||
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{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
[[Category:Meta]] | |||