Meta has riled up thousands of its users after a spate of mass bans that have not only targeted individual Instagram and Facebook users but now seem to be targeting Facebook Groups as well.

Techcrunch has reported that complaints are mounting from users and group admins, with some taking to platforms like Reddit to share information about which groups have been given the ban hammer, as well as some of the ridiculous reasons why.

Meta spokesperson Andy Stone acknowledged the glitch and assured that they’re on it. “We’re aware of a technical error that impacted some Facebook Groups. We’re fixing things now,” he said in a statement.

The root cause of this ban bonanza remains a mystery, but speculation suggests a dodgy AI moderation system might be the culprit. Those hit by the ban hammer reveal that many suspended groups were about banal or harmless topics, covering everything from money-saving hacks and parenting tips to pet lovers’ meetups, gaming, Pokémon fandom, and keyboard geeks.

Admins of these Facebook Groups have been left scratching their heads after getting cryptic warnings about “terrorism-related” content or nudity, which they swear blind their groups didn’t post, reports the Express.

It’s not just small fry groups taking the hit; we’re talking big leagues here, with memberships ranging from the tens of thousands to the millions.

Members caught up in the latest social media problems are being advised by online strategists not to contest their group’s ban just yet, but rather to sit tight and see if the block lifts once the glitch is sorted.

The digital realm of Reddit’s Facebook community (r/facebook) is abuzz with angry group admins and members fuming over the sudden clampdown. Reports are surfacing of entire portfolios of groups getting axed in one fell swoop.

Some moderators are scratching their heads at the alleged infractions, like a bird-watching group home to nearly a million enthusiasts that got the chop for purportedly hosting ‘nudity’.

Other complaints come from guardians of squeaky-clean forums such as a family-friendly Pokémon collective, boasting close to 200,000 enthusiasts, wjocj was slapped with a notice about promoting “dangerous organisations,”

A few lucky Facebook Group administrators who’ve paid for Meta’s Verified subscription, promising them front-of-the-line customer service, have managed to secure assistance.

Meanwhile, others are left in the lurch with their groups suspended or banned entirely.

A big question mark hangs over whether this issue ties into the broader storm of bans currently buffeting individual users of Meta platforms, hinting at a wider trend shaking the pillars of social networks.

Alongside Facebook and Instagram, other social platforms such as Pinterest and Tumblr have also been hit with complaints about widespread suspensions recently. This has led users to speculate that AI-driven moderation efforts might be the culprit.

Pinterest acknowledged its error, attributing the mass bans to an internal glitch, but dismissed the idea that AI was at fault. Tumblr linked its issues to trials of a new content-filtering system, though it didn’t specify whether this system utilised AI.

Meta, when questioned last week about the Instagram bans, chose not to comment. A petition is now being circulated among users, which has already collected over 12,380 signatures, urging Meta to tackle the issue.

Some, particularly those whose businesses have been impacted, are considering legal recourse. Meta has yet to disclose what’s causing the problem for either individual accounts or groups.