Threads users report account mass suspensions in wake of Meta’s Instagram and Facebook ban wave

It seems Meta’s AI content moderation systems are misfiring yet again. This time, it’s people on Threads who have been targeted for no apparent reason. Reports have been popping up online over the past 12 hours or so from affected users who have been logging in to find their accounts locked.

On Reddit, folks are venting about suspensions that make no sense. One user, who goes by “Spider-Kat,” laid it out like this:

I just got suspended too! I mostly repost stuff (admittedly mostly political, all verified by multiple legitimate sources though), and I don’t engage much with other users. I certainly don’t argue. Yet I’ve been suspended for allegedly violating community guidelines.

Another, “rhetnor,” chimed in with a similar story:

I’ve just had the same. I am scrupulously polite in my posts and replies.

It’s not just the talkative types either. Some users who’ve never posted a single thread — only liked or scrolled — are getting the ban hammer too. One even got suspended ten minutes after sharing a photo of their tuxedo cat. A glitch? Maybe. But it’s hard to tell when Meta’s staying quiet.

If this feels familiar, it’s because Meta has been suspending and banning accounts left and right on Instagram and Facebook. I’ve been covering the mayhem that has destroyed personal memories and costed businesses thousands for a few weeks here on TechIssuesToday. More recently, I highlighted how a potential class action lawsuit might be brewing due to the mass bans on both platforms. And now, with these account suspensions, Threads users might have to join the bandwagon against Meta.

But luckily, I don’t think that would be the case. I’ve spotted a few fresh posts from users who confirmed that they got their accounts back within hours of the ban. So this moderation hiccup might not actually be linked to the ongoing problem on Instagram and Facebook where many users are still waiting to get their accounts back.

Since a majority of users who initially reported about the suspensions haven’t come back to clarify whether or not they got their accounts back, it’s hard to say what one can expect if they are still in the same situation. As usual, I’ll keep a close eye on the developments here and will post an update if there’s something to share.

Amid the chaos, Threads just rolled out new fediverse features on June 17, letting users see posts from platforms like Mastodon in a dedicated feed and search for federated profiles. It’s a cool step toward an open social web, but it’s small comfort when your account’s on ice.

In the meantime, feel free to drop a comment below to let me know if you were affected by these random suspensions on Threads and if you managed to get your account back.