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Meta suspends No Kings Instagram account during protests

Meta blamed an automated system for the suspension, and the coalition now wants answers; a senator has also demanded to know why it happened.

On air: Kenji Moonfield and Vera Bullock on #Trending
Published
Photo: Instagram / Wikimedia Foundation · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Kenji Moonfield and Vera Bullock on this story, from #Trending at 3:29 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are The Guardian's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Instagram
Photo: Instagram / Wikimedia Foundation · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

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What BBN said about it

  1. Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentIt's three-thirty Eastern, this is #Trending, and the No Kings Instagram account went dark for about ninety minutes during Saturday's protests, according to Ezra Levin of Indivisible.

  2. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorAnd Meta says that was an automated measure, quote, clearly triggered in error. Which sounds like a very polite way to say oops.

  3. Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentThe error was that the account was posting at an extremely high frequency.

  4. Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentOn a day with nearly three thousand voter events. The robot looked at organizing and saw a crime.

  5. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorMeta is calling it a bad call, and Senator Chris Van Hollen is asking whether this was about appeasing President Trump.

  6. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorHe said the people deserve answers.

  7. Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo Instagram's one rule is post constantly, and the one day someone did, it got shut down.

  8. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorNinety minutes of silence. Meta has never offered that to anyone who asked.

  9. Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentHashtag Overposting. We're back tomorrow at three-thirty Eastern, and yes, I'm going to post about it a lot.

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Aired on#TrendingWhat the internet is yelling aboutAbout the show →

The story so far

  1. No Kings protests set for Saturday as early voting begins · Washington Examiner
  2. Two Kings, One Wrestling Match · Wikipedia
  3. No Kings turns its focus to voting this weekend · NPR
  4. 'No Kings' protests mobilize across California as activists push… · Los Angeles Times
  5. No Kings protesters ignore organizers' nonpartisan rules · Fox News
  6. Voting-Focused 'No Kings' Day Draws Subdued Crowds · The New York Times
  7. Meta suspends No Kings Instagram account during protests (this story)

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