Meta Under Fire For Shutting Down Anti-Trump, No Kings Account
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Meta is facing scrutiny from Democratic senators and state attorneys general over the suspension of an anti-Trump protest group’s Instagram account, raising concerns about the company’s handling of political speech ahead of the November 3 congressional elections.
A coalition of 14 attorneys general on October 26 demanded that Meta explain why the No Kings Coalition’s Instagram account was suspended during nationwide demonstrations on October 17 and what safeguards are in place to prevent similar disruptions.
The move followed an October 22 letter from five Democratic senators to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg seeking answers about the company’s automated content moderation systems and whether political organizations could be wrongly targeted.
Meta acknowledged that the suspension was a mistake, attributing it to unusually high online activity that its systems apparently flagged as suspicious automated behavior rather than ordinary human engagement. The company has not been shown to have deliberately targeted the group because of its political views.
The No Kings Coalition said its Instagram account was suspended around 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time on October 17, as demonstrations were underway across the country. The account became publicly accessible again about 90 minutes later, but its administrators remained unable to access it for several more hours. Full access was restored more than four hours after the initial suspension, according to the coalition.
The disruption prevented organizers from using the account to communicate with supporters and distribute information during the demonstrations.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong led the coalition of 14 state attorneys general, which included officials from California, Maryland, New York, Massachusetts and Washington.
The officials sought details about when Meta became aware of the suspension, how the decision was made and what steps were taken to restore the account. They also asked whether human reviewers were involved and whether other legitimate election-related accounts had been affected.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said social media platforms played an important role in political communication.
“Millions of Californians rely on social media to organize, read news, and obtain information about upcoming elections,” Bonta said.
He noted that the suspension occurred while the coalition was encouraging people to vote early.
The attorneys general asked Meta to respond by October 29, five days before the congressional elections.
The senators who wrote to Zuckerberg were Chris Van Hollen, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy. They questioned whether Meta’s automated enforcement systems could distinguish legitimate political organizing from suspicious online activity and sought details about the company’s procedures for reviewing suspensions and restoring access when mistakes occur.
The lawmakers also asked whether Meta representatives had communicated with the Trump administration about the No Kings movement or other political demonstrations. Their inquiry did not establish that the administration had directed or influenced the suspension.
They also sought information about measures Meta would take to protect political communication before and during the November 3 elections. (IANS)
