Instagram accounts blocked without explanation: Meta faces new scandal
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Meta is facing a new wave of criticism over account suspensions carried out without any explanation. Users are losing access to their Facebook and Instagram profiles even after filing appeals. In the European Union, however, a separate dispute resolution process is already available for such cases, according to The New York Times.
Widespread account suspensions spark criticism
Journalists documented multiple cases in which both business and educational accounts on Facebook and Instagram were suspended.
Among them was an English-language teaching page with nearly one million followers, which was removed for allegedly violating Meta's fraud policy. Another was the JuneteenthNY project, with more than 500,000 followers.
In both cases, Meta did not identify the specific post that allegedly violated its policies, and appeals were rejected without offering any further review.
The situation contrasts with Meta's official position. In March, the company announced that it was introducing more advanced AI systems for content moderation while insisting that human reviewers would make the final decisions on appeals.
However, Meta's independent Oversight Board concluded on June 4 that the platform still suffers from systemic problems related to transparency and consistency.
The Board also criticized Meta Verified, the company's paid subscription service, saying that although it promises 24/7 customer support, it does not provide effective tools for restoring access to suspended accounts.
It is worth noting that the Oversight Board's recommendations are not legally binding, meaning Meta is free to ignore them.
How the EU handles account suspensions
The issue of unexplained account restrictions has also become a growing concern across Europe.
According to the 2025 annual report by Germany's Federal Network Agency, which serves as the country's Digital Services Coordinator, the most common complaints out of more than 2,000 received involved account or service restrictions imposed without proper justification.
As a result, the agency launched 26 national administrative investigations.
Under the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), users have a clear legal path if their account is suspended:
- Article 21 of the DSA: If Meta's internal appeal process fails, EU users have the right to bring their case before a certified out-of-court dispute resolution body.
- Certified dispute bodies: In Germany, these include User Rights GmbH in Berlin and Platform Control. Similar organizations operate across other EU member states.
- Costs and legal status: In most cases, Meta covers the cost of the proceedings, while users pay only a small administrative fee.
Although Meta is required to cooperate with these dispute resolution bodies, their decisions are not binding on the company. Users still retain the right to take the matter to court.
Digital rights experts recommend reducing the risks in advance by regularly downloading an archive of your data and keeping important business contacts outside a single social media platform.
