Technical Errors and AI-Driven Moderation Leave Users Feeling Abandoned

Facebook and Instagram users have been contacting the BBC in droves, complaining about having their accounts arbitrarily banned and struggling to get them reinstated. The issue, which Meta acknowledges is caused by a “technical error” affecting Facebook Groups, appears to be far more widespread than initially thought.

Brittany Watson, a 32-year-old from Ontario, Canada, started an online petition that has garnered over 25,000 signatures. She claims her Facebook account was disabled for nine days in May before it was reinstated, with Meta providing no explanation for the suspension. “Facebook wasn’t just an app for me,” she said. “It was where I kept years of memories, connected with family and friends, followed pages that brought me joy, and found support communities for mental health.”

When her account was banned, Brittany felt “ashamed, embarrassed, and anxiety-stricken.” She quickly discovered she wasn’t the only one affected, with thousands of people signing her petition. “There is a problem – it is personal accounts, it is business accounts, Facebook pages, and Groups. I can’t believe they [Meta] are only saying it is just Groups.”

Meta has told the BBC that it takes action on accounts that violate its policies and that people can appeal if they think a mistake has been made. However, users like John Dale, a former journalist who runs a local news group in west London, have found the appeal process to be limited. His account was suspended on May 30 for breaking community standards, and he has no idea why. As the only administrator of the group, he cannot approve new posts, and his own posts have been removed.

“I’m appealing my suspension, but if I lose, my account will be permanently deleted,” he said. “There is no customer service.” Michelle DeMelo, who runs several pages associated with her digital marketing businesses, says she has suffered financially since her Facebook and Instagram accounts were suspended in June. They were reinstated on Wednesday, a day after the BBC contacted Meta about her case.

Sam Tall, a 21-year-old from Bournemouth, is another user who suspects that Meta’s moderation policies and appeal process are handled entirely by AI. His Instagram page was suspended last week for breaching “community standards,” and he was rejected after appealing. “There is absolutely no way that was seen by a human,” he said. “All the memories, all my friends who I can no longer talk to because I don’t have them on any other platform – gone.”

Meta admits to wrongly suspending Facebook Groups but denies a wider problem. However, the sheer number of users affected and the lack of human support have left many feeling frustrated and abandoned. As one user put it, “It’s insulting that a company as powerful as Meta, built by its users, offers no real human support or clear pathways for resolution in these situations.”