Former Meta employee on mass account bans: "Stop using Meta apps"

If you’re one of the many frustrated users who’ve recently found their Meta accounts inexplicably banned, a former employee has a stark message for you: “Stop using Meta apps.” This blunt advice comes amidst a wave of mass account disablements across Facebook and Instagram, leaving users bewildered and, in many cases, devastating small businesses.

The former Meta employee’s comments in a TikTok video were highlighted in a post on Reddit, which now has a few hundred upvotes. They highlighted a comment from a user asking about the Meta ban wave that has affected Instagram and Facebook users for weeks. In their response, they stated there’s a noticeable lack of priority for customer service. “Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, it’s not his priority to have any customer service,” the ex-employee stated. This sentiment echoes a long-standing complaint from users who report hitting dead ends when trying to resolve account issues.

The core of the problem, according to the former insider, lies with Meta’s heavy reliance on AI tools for content moderation and account management. These AI systems, while efficient, are “easily manipulated,” they explained. Professional scammers, in particular, seem to have figured out how to navigate around Meta’s automated checks and balances, leading to legitimate accounts being wrongfully disabled. “They’re wrongfully disabled because they’re using AI tools that… they’re easily manipulated,” the former employee elaborated. Problems like these are why I also explained why AI moderation still has a long way to go.

This isn’t just about losing access to a personal profile. Many individuals and businesses rely heavily on Meta’s platforms for communication, marketing, and sales. I’ve previously reported on how the Meta ban wave has left personal memories and small businesses in ruins, with some entrepreneurs losing out on thousands of dollars.

The former employee’s comments quickly gained traction on Reddit, with many users expressing a grim sense of validation. One Reddit user, “ryanstefan,” shared their own long-standing frustration:

I’ve been screaming in this sub for years that Meta and Zuck DO NOT CARE ABOUT USERS and I get downvoted to hell every single time. It’s as if the users of this sub have a collective Stockholm syndrome.

Another user, “tess320,” recounted their struggles after hackers took over their business page:

They don’t care if you pay them. They were zero help when hackers took over my biz and personal page and were running Vietnamese ads on there. I did get it back but only through kind of a glitch.

The idea that Meta’s customer service is nearly non-existent for regular users has been a recurring theme. Even those who pay for Meta Verified or advertise on the platforms often report little to no human support when faced with account issues. This absence of human intervention makes appealing automated bans a near-impossible task.

The mass account bans have been a growing concern, prompting users to take collective action. We’ve followed the story as Instagram and Facebook users united against mass account bans, with petitions being signed and even talk of legal action. There was a glimmer of hope when a notice appeared on the Instagram help page for disabled accounts, suggesting an investigation into the issue. However, it seems that notice might have been a long-standing message, unrelated to the current wave of bans.

Meanwhile, Meta appears to be doubling down on its AI initiatives. Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly spent billions on AI development, and the company continues to invest heavily in the technology. This strategy, however, seems to be a double-edged sword for its user base, leading to the current crisis of wrongful account disablements.

For now, the message from those close to the company, and indeed from many affected users, is clear: relying solely on Meta apps for personal connections or business operations carries significant risk. FYI, the former employee in the spotlight here is the same person who was in the headlines a couple of years ago for highlighting the fact that Meta didn’t pay her 16 weeks of severance after she was let go. So it seems Meta has a thing for mistreating both its user base and its employees. But let’s hope things change for the better sooner rather than later.