LOS ANGELES – Sexologist Dr. Susan Block has reported that she has filed a complaint against Meta seeking arbitration for “wrongful business practices,” including lack of accountability, algorithmic discrimination and deactivation of her sex advice accounts.
In the complaint, Block states that she built and managed her Facebook and Instagram profiles over many years, beginning in 2008, while always adhering to the platform’s terms and conditions. She claims that shortly after she surpassed 10,000 Facebook followers, Meta closed both her Facebook and Instagram accounts and banned her from all Meta sites and apps.
Block is represented by law firm Mayer-Brown.
Block released a statement claiming: “Meta’s deliberate, algorithmic and unwarranted deactivation of my accounts has destroyed 15 years of forced labor in its social media mines, cut me off from essential communication channels, damaged my reputation and also infringed on my freedom of expression. as the freedom of my friends, family and colleagues to hear me speak on their Meta-feeds and in Messenger.”
The deactivation, she added, “represents the normalization of dehumanization. This kind of AI is artificial ignorance. It kills our humanity first, on the way to killing all humans.”
Block’s legal team claims that META’s actions constitute a breach of contract and violate fundamental principles of fairness, freedom of speech and due process. They argue that the company’s failure to provide any warning, explanation, opportunity to address alleged violations of the Community Guidelines, or to seek deactivation constitutes an abuse of power, effectively and unfairly silencing its voice and she is denied access to an essential digital public sphere. .
“Of course this isn’t just about me,” Block noted. “Meta activates and deactivates millions of people and wreaks havoc on our digital lives, mental health, personal relationships, art, work, fan bases and reputations. Unfortunately, most people can’t fight back. I fight back. No individual or entity should be able to exercise unchecked power to silence voices they disagree with in the public square. Mark Zuckerberg may consider it his ‘personal fiefdom,’ but Meta’s mega-monopoly covers such a large portion of the digital public domain – it should be open to the public.”
The case is scheduled for an arbitration hearing in Los Angeles on June 26, according to Block.