When Meta launched its paid verification service, Meta Verified, in 2023, the company promised subscribers direct access to customer support. However, amid a wave of mass bans affecting Facebook and Instagram accounts, along with Facebook Groups, many paying Meta Verified users say they are receiving little to no assistance—especially when facing mistakenly suspended accounts.
Users have shared experiences of dismissive and unhelpful interactions with Meta Verified support representatives. These account bans, suspected by some to be triggered by AI systems, have impacted users for weeks or even months. A petition urging Meta to resolve the issues has gathered over 25,500 signatures and continues to grow. On platforms like Reddit, affected users exchange tips and express frustration, with some even threatening legal action.
Impact of Suspensions on Individuals and Businesses
Though tens of thousands are affected, this represents a small fraction of Meta’s billions of users. Still, for those whose businesses or personal brands vanished overnight from Facebook or Instagram, the damage is substantial. Others have lost years of photos and interactions with friends, leading to emotional distress.
To date, Meta has publicly acknowledged only the ban affecting Facebook Groups, attributing it to a “technical error” currently being fixed. Instagram’s help page mentions account access issues, but this language has remained unchanged since March. Meta has not confirmed whether AI, malware, or another cause is behind the bans.
One Meta Verified user, Manya Khurana, shared:
“I opened around 5-6 tickets on my Verified account. The agents were dismissive and even closed the chat. I have had the account since 2017 and never had an issue. They suspended me, saying I did not follow community guidelines, which is false. I had almost 12,000 followers and was going to launch my small business on it to have income, but I have not been able to start it. My career has been affected. … This has been heartbreaking.”
Another user, Nikolas Alvarez, explained:
“Back in April, I got my Instagram account falsely disabled for ‘creating accounts while suspended’ when I never even made any account, nor have I ever been suspended before. This was a false ban because I have never done anything to break [Meta’s] Community Guidelines. On April 3, I purchased Meta Verified via Facebook, and it has been three months, and still just going back and forth with these workers.”
Widespread User Dissatisfaction
On Reddit, users characterize Meta Verified reps as “extremely unhelpful,” delivering “canned responses,” providing “no help,” and report waiting hours for replies. Some new subscribers were placed on waitlists instead of receiving promised support. One user mentioned a Meta representative saying the company was overwhelmed due to a malware problem and an influx of support tickets, though this remains unconfirmed.
There are reports of some users regaining access to their accounts weeks or months after suspension, but the process remains opaque. Meta Communications Director Andy Stone declined to provide an update, leaving many users frustrated and uncertain.
What The Author Thinks
The Meta Verified service was sold on the promise of priority customer support, yet the ongoing wave of account suspensions shows a troubling disconnect between promises and reality. When users pay for verification and support, they expect swift and helpful assistance—especially during crises involving wrongful bans. Meta must urgently address these failures or risk eroding trust among its most invested users. Transparency and accountability should be at the forefront, as relying on automated systems without adequate human oversight harms real people’s livelihoods and social connections.
Featured image credit: Vitya_maly via GoodFon
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