Meta is addressing a problem that has caused some Facebook Groups to be incorrectly suspended, although the company insists that it is not indicative of a broader issue on its platforms. Group administrators have reported receiving automated notifications that inaccurately claim they violated community guidelines, leading to the deletion of their Groups. Additionally, some Instagram users have expressed similar frustrations regarding their accounts, with many attributing these issues to Meta’s artificial intelligence systems. While Meta recognizes a “technical error” affecting Facebook Groups, it maintains that there is no evidence suggesting a significant uptick in incorrect enforcement of its policies across its platforms.

A Facebook group dedicated to sharing memes about bugs, which boasts over 680,000 members, was recently removed for allegedly violating standards related to “dangerous organizations or individuals.” The group’s founder announced that it has since been restored.

In a separate incident, an administrator of a group focused on AI, with a membership of 3.5 million, reported on Reddit that both his group and personal account faced suspension for several hours. Meta later informed him, “Our technology made a mistake suspending your group.”

This backlash comes as Meta deals with increasing scrutiny from users over widespread bans and suspensions on its platforms, Facebook and Instagram. A petition titled “Meta wrongfully disabling accounts with no human customer support” has amassed nearly 22,000 signatures on change.org.

Additionally, a Reddit thread has emerged where users share their experiences of being banned in recent months. Some individuals lamented the loss of access to pages of sentimental value, while others noted the impact on accounts tied to their businesses. Reports have also surfaced alleging that users were banned after being accused by Meta of breaching policies regarding child sexual exploitation.

Many users have pointed to Meta’s AI moderation tools as a key issue, claiming it is nearly impossible to resolve account issues through human support after suspension. However, BBC News has not independently confirmed these accounts.

In response to the concerns, Meta stated, “We take action on accounts that violate our policies, and people can appeal if they think we’ve made a mistake.” The company emphasized that it employs a mix of human oversight and technology for identifying and removing rule-breaking accounts, though it denied any significant increase in erroneous suspensions.

According to Instagram’s website, AI plays a crucial role in its content review process. The platform claims that AI can proactively detect and eliminate content that contravenes community standards, while certain cases may still be reviewed by human staff. Meta also noted that accounts can be disabled following a single severe violation, such as posting content related to child sexual exploitation.

Meta has announced that it is addressing a problem leading to the wrongful suspension of Facebook Groups, while maintaining that there is no broader issue affecting its platforms. Group administrators have reported receiving automated notifications erroneously claiming they violated policies, resulting in the deletion of their Groups.

Similarly, some Instagram users have voiced complaints regarding issues with their accounts, with many attributing these problems to Meta’s artificial intelligence systems. While Meta has conceded there was a “technical error” with Facebook Groups, it insists that it has not observed a significant rise in incorrect enforcement of its policies across its platforms.