Okay. Okay.
Do ya’ll remember when THIS happened to me? And how that happened to me for no good reason. [For reasons that still remain vague and unclear.] Yes? Good. Well, fortunately for me, that situation has since been taken care of. And, I have found that by using Facebook LESS and LESS I’ve avoided running into that problem again.
However, there are a few draw backs.
1. I can’t Update my Status as often as I’d like for fear of being banned.
And
2. I cannot or socialize with my friends as much as I’d like too, because I don’t want to leave too many comments on other people’s pages too fast. [Because that MAY be one of the reasons I was deleted by the Powers That Be.] Of course, my lack of interaction with the people I love is – not cool. But at least my page isn’t randomly being warned/hijacked or closed down.
It just means I can’t use the site the way it was supposedly intended to be used.
In any event, that is happening to another friend of mine on Facebook.
And this is a friend who is rather humorous. I cannot even count how many times Beau Brooks has brightened my day, or made me laugh out loud [in public] after reading one of his Status Updates. Seriously.
Alas, his Facebook Profile had been deactivated – YET AGAIN.
I [along with many others] cannot figure out why.
Moreover, we would all like for this nightmare to come to an end. And soon.
On the one hand, I fully appreciate the need to have certain rules and regulation in place to prevent spammers from taking over. I totally respect that. Although, it would be nice if Facebook could be a little less vague when explaining why or how a person gets banned in the first place. Yanno, like if they were to include details such as how many posts and/or comments one could leave, or if they were subject to time intervals.
Just sayin’.
On the other hand, to punish someone and sentence them to a lifetime of Involuntary Solitude, simply for interacting socially with their friends, is quite an injustice. I am pretty sure ‘The Powers That Be’ over at Facebook Head Quarters are aware of the feature they installed wherein you can ‘HIDE’ someone’s incessant ‘Status Updates’ from your own news feed/home page, if they are in fact annoying. Not to mention, we as users also have the ability to block people when it is deemed appropriate.
I sure as hell don’t need Facebook to remove people, or block people for me. If I found someone to be a nuisance, I am perfectly capable of handling that myself. And, I know my friends are smart enough to do the same.
I am beside myself and filled with frustration.
That being said…
A bunch of us [who are sick and tired of this unjustice] have formed an alliance. And, I would appreciate all of the support I could possibly drum up from my humble corner of the internet.
Everyone will be sending the following email to The Powers That Be over at Facebook, and I’d appreciate it, if YOU would join us.
Please feel free to copy paste the following:
Direct your email to info@facebook.com
Feel free to edit this as you see fit but here is a template to get us all started.
subject line: Inappropriate account disabling
Dear Facebook:
I am writing to express my concern about the disabling of the account of Beau Brooks (http://facebook.com/beaubrooks). Mr. Brooks was a very active user, but his use in no way violated Facebook’s terms and conditions and is unjustifiable.
If you do not reinstate Mr. Brooks’s account by Friday, August 14, 2009, at 11:00 p.m. E.S.T. I intend to join a mass 24-hour boycott of Facebook that will draw attention to this inexplicable harassment of a rule-abiding user.
I will appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
[your name]
NOTE: If you are a writer or journalist or anyone else who can help open facebook’s ignorant and blind eyes, please feel free to include anything necassary in your letter.
Thank In Advance Everyone!
[Now I just hope I dont get banned for ‘abusing’ my freedom of speech! Oh, and, I will be actively participating in NOT participating on Facebook for the duration of the 24-hour boycott!]
You are so awesome, Meleah.
Thank you. This means a lot.
-Beau
Absolutely! And in all fronts… there are a few 🙂
seriously, i would send my letter to a newspaper. well you can always post on your blog w/o being banned. not the same, i know.
Beau:
I am awesome.
But I am not as funny as you.
I need your Update to make me laugh!
Rog:
Thank you for helping!
Valerie:
Hmmm….The paper huh?
Then I might really write an ACTUAL article yanno with FACTS and stuff about this whole thing including the emails they send back to people trying to get answers!
i think what they are doing is abominable,, and totally uncalled for.. it seems as if a few of you have made it on a watch list some where and keep being harassed.. i don’t understand what part of that says social interaction site,, and i think facebook definitely needs to be put in their place on this…
He has the power to do this himself.
He just says ‘Wonder Twins Power…ACTIVATE!”
And, boom….you know…he’s, like, activated.
Of course he’s now either an animal or something made out of water, but you get what you get and you don’t get upset.
You’re welcome.
Testing 1-2-3
Can you see me now???
Hey, I think it worked! Hold me while I faint! THUD! 😉
I’m at the library and have tried to comment on your blog using many computers in passed months. Crossing my fingers that the good luck last.
Bad FaceBook! I haven’t been there in ages. I have a time limit on the library computer anyway.
I don’t do Facebook, else I’d be glad to help. I know a few people who do though, so I’ll be sure to pass it along. 🙂
So far so good for me and my buddy FaceBook!
I got stuck in the captcha prison and then told to wait an hour to comment, so I took Beau’s advice and have stayed away all week. I’ll send the letter in tonight (I’m at work now and facecrack is banned here, sweet irony!) This definitely happens if you leave a lot of comments, because when it started happening to me it was a day I commenting like crazy and then boom! The captcha police zoomed in. This was cool of you to post Meleah and I hope Beau is free soon!
What the Sam Hill is going on here? What have they (FBPTB) got against all the chatty Cathys out there? The social butterflies, if you will.
Facecrack – HAHA!! Sorry I just saw Marty’s comment and have never seen it before and now I’m probably a dork because I’m the last one on that bus.
Anyway, this is an outrage and I don’t blame you for being mad as hell and not taking it any more.
Paisley:
I think so too. Im starting w/ this blog post and I just may go on to other avenues to help my cause!
moooog35:
Ahahahahahahahaha
You rule.
AIR:
OMFG! Its a MIRACLE!
xoxoxox
🙂
SoLow:
Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you!
[and you need a FB page!]
DeboHoBo:
Huh?
Marty:
Oh snap! Meleah’s page got the captcha on a few comments and I too logged out and hid out from FB for a hot minute. I hope Beau is free soon too! And thank YOU for your support!
🙂
Margaret:
You are so NOT a dork! You are awesomesause.
I really AM mad as hell, and I am just trying to stop the insanity!
Thanks for your support.
I’ve never been on Facebook but I was under the impression it was primarily a place to socialize? Am I wrong? If that’s the case then I don’t understand what’s going on with people being banned and such. Doesn’t make sense. Hope the boycott went well. Don’t let them get away with it!
That’s crazy! What, was facebook not expecting people to beome hugely popular or have lots of friends? I hope you guys set them straight.
Hey… so funny my recent post is about status updates [which are my own favourite part of Facebook]
I didn’t know leaving comments banned you from a social network sort of counter intuitive
Jodi is right they should be put in their place
Selma:
It is supposed to be a place to socialize, but apparently, we cant socialize too much~ And I totally boycotted FB yesterday!
Diamond:
I know. Sorry facebook, but I do have 400 friends that DO want my comments on their updates. So frustrating.
Random:
I live for Status Updates [especially since I get to talk in the 3rd person!]
OK, seriously this is insane. You guys get kicked around and I bet the morons for SEO stuff, real estate and what not are spamming away. And it seems that even f he does get ack on he will be restricted much like you are. I get so annoyed when I hear these stories about what FB is doing to you and others for nothing.
Ricardo:
Thats why we are trying to do something about it!
Facebook boycott (Beaucott) is going on right now!
It’s hard as hell (for me). And I have no idea if it’s going to work. But lots of people seem to be participating, which is great.
I’m going to figure out a way to make the Facebox giant wake up and smell something. If it’s the last thing I do.
Thanks for helping to publicize this problem, Meleah! I know you know firsthand how much it sucks.
Romy:
I am participating in the Beaucott too but, I can’t stand being offline like this!
Oh well, its for a good cause! And its just one day. Right?
I sent in a letter, Meleah, I didn’t participate in the Beaucott, but respect those of you that did. I was put in the captcha prison after leaving lots of comments one day. I just walked away from facebook for about three days (Beau’s advice) and now everything seems to be okay for now.
I sent in a letter (thanks for suggesting that) and told them to stop harassing Beau Brooks and others who are merely being active. I told them if it didn’t stop I would drop my account and tell everyone I know that facebook sucks. I also mentioned that it’s things like this that could land them in MySpace land. A social site that only lepers and pedophiles frequent these days.
I hope everyone writes to them, because I think that would scare them more than a one day Beaucott, but like I said, I applaud all those who boycotted and hope everyone writes to facebook.
Nice blog Meleah! I’ll see you on facebook later, if I’m not banned!
Marty:
You are awesome for sending in a letter. I did too.
And I decided to take part in the BeauCott.
Yanno.
Just because something had to be done about all this nonsense!
I hope everyone writes them too.
The Pen is always mightier than the Sword!
Ill see you on facebook after midnight tonight, UNLESS I am banned!
🙂
I cannot believe the things that happen to you!!!
Its sofa king annoying
Yeah, it was hard but I’m glad we did it. Even though it probably didn’t do any good in terms of getting Beau’s facebook account back, it really meant a lot to him that we all showed that solidarity.
Ultimately, I think my goal is to get Facebook to stop punishing legitimate users for being very active in the future. There’s not much we can do about actions they’ve already taken. But I think everyone writing letters to them (probably letters are better than email but whatever people can manage) will be a good step. I’m also thinking of trying to write an article for publication, but it’s not exactly a pressing social issue so I’m not sure any major outlets would publish it. But boy would that make them squirm, I bet.
Other ideas (mine and others’): writing to the Better Business Bureau in California, writing letters of complaint to advertisers on FB (there are so goddam many though); writing to the Federal Trade Commission???
I’m grasping at straws here. It just shouldn’t be hard for FB to come up with a system to override the spambot catcher if a legitimate user emails them and says, “Hello. I’m not a spambot, yo.” How hard can that be? Not very, I think.
Dammit, my lazy reading arse found this post too late. I was totally in!
…they still got my email though.
Romy:
Beau is awesome and what they did SUCKS
but I’m glad now he know how much we support him!
I will do whatever I can to help STOP Facebook from banning REAL users just for socializing. I mean, I was banned just for writing too fast? WTH is that?
I would also like to write an article for publication as well. And a factual one with statistics and things of that nature! I will ask around for some ideas from everyone else what MORE we can do!
And really, once The Powers That Be determine someone is NOT spam, they should LAY OFF!
🙂
Donna:
You RULE for writing a letter! Thank you soooo much
And, speaking of FB and emails:
ADD ME AS FRIEND
ASAP!
xoxoxoxoxo
I experienced this for the first time yesterday! I was sending a link to multiple friends and it cautioned me for sending it too many times too quickly! Sorry, I thought many of my friends would enjoy the same thing?! So silly…
NYerinNY :
What’s worse is when they take away your WHOLE account and shut you down for weeks. That is a freaking nightmare!