Facebook and Instagram users express frustration with Meta after NBC Connecticut helps rei
December 23, 2025
Facebook and Instagram users express frustration with Meta after NBC Connecticut helps reinstate their accounts
Our NBC stations across the country have received 178 requests for help this year in getting Instagram and Facebook accounts restored.
In October, NBC Connecticut Responds helped Mitchell Boyer, a teen competitive climber in Glastonbury, and his mother, Clarissa Boyer get their Instagram accounts restored after they said Meta had suspended them for violating Instagram’s community standards on child sexual exploitation, abuse, and nudity.
In October, NBC Connecticut Responds helped Mitchell Boyer, a teen competitive climber in Glastonbury, and his mother, Clarissa Boyer get their Instagram accounts restored after they said Meta had suspended them for violating Instagram’s community standards on child sexual exploitation, abuse, and nudity.
The Boyers both said they had no idea why their accounts were flagged for that reason and said their appeals with Meta were denied.
WATCH HEREWhen NBC Connecticut reached out to Meta, their accounts were restored.
Since the Boyer’s story aired, NBC Connecticut Responds received a dozen complaints from others who said they experienced something similar.
“I saw your feature on the news, and I said, ‘that’s exactly what happened to me,’” said Michael Tierney, of Glastonbury.
Tierney, a local wedding photographer, told NBC Connecticut Responds that because most of his clients are in their mid-20s, about half of his business comes through his Instagram account. When his account was flagged and deactivated for what Instagram told him was violating community standards, he said he was devastated.
“It’s all about Instagram,” he said. “So, losing it was a big, big deal. I had spent 11 years of networking and marketing.”
NBC CT Responds
Tierney, along with other viewers, told us they had no idea why their accounts were flagged and why many of their appeals were quickly denied.
Viewers told us they feel like there’s no recourse and no way to speak with anyone at Instagram or Facebook to plead their case.
Corey Veneziano, of Cromwell, said his account was shut down for five months.
“The worst level of customer service you could have — not being able to talk to anybody over there,” he said. “It was extremely frustrating.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal has been vocal about his criticism of Meta.
“Meta has, in effect, a monopolistic power in the market that makes them unresponsive,” Blumenthal said.
The senator has pushed for more protections for kids online, like through his efforts to pass a Kids Online Safety Act in 2022.
According to Meta’s website, the company has been taking aggressive action to police its sites and already removed more than 600,000 Instagram and Facebook accounts.
But Blumenthal claims Meta’s attempts are missing the mark and leading to improper account suspensions.
“Meta has failed, totally failed to do real protection for children, and it has adopted substitutes that it can tout as protection,” he said.
Meta says its technology is getting more accurate. In their Third Quarter Integrity Report, Meta wrote that overall, the content it removed for violating policies was accurate 90% of the time on Facebook and 87% on Instagram.
The social media company didn’t break down metrics specifically about accounts it removed in the report.
Our NBC stations across the country have received 178 requests for help this year in getting Instagram and Facebook accounts restored.
There is also a change.org petition complaining of ‘no human customer support’ with more than 52,000 signatures as of December 2025.
NBC Connecticut Responds asked Sen. Blumenthal if Congress needs to create more oversight for social media platforms and if Meta should be required to be more responsive to users.
“We have written, we’ve had hearings, we have legislation. What we really need is to pass the Kids Online Safety Act, which would impose a duty of care. And I’m fighting for it literally every day,” he said. “They would be required to answer inquiries.”
NBC Connecticut Responds helped ten Meta users regain access to their accounts.
“Incredible. Absolutely incredible. I’m so appreciative. I cannot thank you enough for this,” Tierney said.
Tracy MacMath, from Orange, was also pleased when her account was reinstated.
“I’m very happy about it because it shows that there is power in numbers, she said.”
Corey Veneziano said, “You were successful, I was not on my own and I really exhausted my options. NBC Connecticut is out there helping ordinary people.”
NBC Connecticut Responds has learned about ways to lessen your risk of account suspension. You may be doing something you don’t even realize violates community standards. Make sure your age is accurate and check your teen’s account too. Be mindful of your interactions with people through posts, comments, and direct messages. Make sure you set up two-factor authentication to prevent someone else from accessing your account.
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