Meta Platforms has been on a banning spree which is affecting users across the many social media apps under its umbrella. Amidst the ongoing mass bans, even those who are paying a premium for the Meta verified subscription have been left disappointed by tech giant’s customer support. Users have deemed the service “useless”, despite Meta claiming to offer access to direct account support as part of the benefits of its Verified check mark subscription.
Account Bans and Customer Dissatisfaction
According to a TechCrunch report, Meta Verified users are receiving little to no help from the company’s customer support representatives with regard to accounts that have mistakenly been suspended. These have been affecting Facebook, Instagram as well as Facebook Groups in recent months without any explanation. This is despite them paying a monthly fee of $14.99 (roughly Rs. 1,300) in the US and Rs. 699 in India.
While the company promises “access to direct account support” to Meta Verified subscribers, users have dubbed the customer support as “useless”, with account suspensions locking them out of their messages and business profiles. There is no phone support and the links to appeal against suspensions are “broken”. Further, the automated responses “offer no real help”, they said.
While the exact cause behind the mass bans remains unknown, many have speculated it may be triggered due to Meta’s AI systems failing to differentiate between legitimate content and potential violations. This hints towards moderation problems.
So far, the tech giant has only reportedly issued a statement regarding account suspension in Facebook Groups, deeming it to be a “technical error”. For issues related to Instagram, Meta said, “We’re aware that some of you are having issues accessing your Instagram account. We’re looking into it and apologize for the inconvenience.”
The publication reports that the account suspensions have resulted in significant losses to businesses as well as individuals, who have lost years’ worth of messages and media uploads. This has left them enraged, causing many to threaten legal action, including class-action lawsuits.
There’s also a petition on the Change.org website, holding Meta accountable for “Wrongfully Disabling Accounts with No Human Customer Support”. Over 25,000 users have signed this petition, demanding the company to fix its AI systems, restore access to banned or suspended accounts, and provide adequate customer support.
