The Fight Continues, and So Does the Coverage.
- People Over Platforms Worldwide | News
- Oct 3
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 4
Yesterday I noticed three new news stories linked directly to our petition.
They perfectly represent why I started this movement in the first place.
They were published on October 2 and October 3, and they show that what is happening to creators, business owners, and everyday users because of Meta’s AI enforcement is happening everywhere.
Our petition has now reached 44,479 signatures, up from 44,000 just five days ago. The growth has slowed a little, but it is still progress, and every single person who has stood behind this cause matters.
Stories That Reflect Our Fight
Cincinnati Tattoo Artist Wrongfully Disabled by AI
From WCPO Cincinnati
Sarah Sexton is a tattoo artist in Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati. Her entire business runs through Instagram: booking clients, posting artwork, and staying in touch with customers.
One morning she woke up to find her account completely disabled by automated systems. The notice claimed a “violation,” but no reason was provided.
She appealed, submitted the forms, and even paid to get verified in hopes of reaching a human. Weeks later she is still waiting, and every attempt to start a new page is flagged before she can post.
“The wait is a big deal… I have exhausted every effort I could think of… They just said, ‘Keep waiting.’”
Without Instagram she lost client communication, appointment bookings, and income. She is still in limbo, and she is not alone.
Maryland Student Falsely Flagged for “Child Exploitation”
From WMAR Baltimore
Mackenzie Blake, a Maryland college student who occasionally works at a preschool, was stunned when Instagram disabled her account for allegedly violating policies around “child exploitation.”
Her feed contained family photos, college life, and travel pictures. She appealed immediately, but the appeal was denied within minutes. She then paid for verification to reach human support and received automated responses instead of real explanations.
“They refused to explain what triggered the flag… it is my account.”
She lost years of photos, contacts, and memories, and she was left stigmatized by a false and serious accusation. Blake’s experience is one of thousands that show AI moderation misfiring and how hard it is to get a fair review.
Systemic Echoes
Sarah’s story has been picked up by multiple outlets, including NewsBreak, which shows that this problem is not tied to one city or one user. These errors are happening everywhere: to artists, students, parents, and business owners. People are being affected by automated moderation without accountability.
Each article adds proof that this is a systemic issue, not a set of one-off mistakes.
Growing Media Coverage
Since June, our petition has been receiving international coverage. Local outlets, national broadcasters, and digital publications have helped keep this conversation in public view.
For this post I am linking to the most recent stories that directly include our petition link.
There are around 25 verified news articles that do. There are likely many more that do not. I can only track outlets that link directly rather than using shortened URLs or indirect references.
Coverage may look slower at times, only because some stories do not link back, which makes them harder to find.
Awareness is still spreading, our fight continues, media coverage is still growing.
If you are a journalist or editor reading this, please continue to link to and share the petition in your coverage. Every article helps people find accurate information, real stories, and the support they need.
Fighting Digital Barriers
For months I have worked to build a website that holds resources, campaigns, donation tools, and legal guidance for everyone affected. Every obstacle feels like a reflection of the larger problem: a digital world full of paywalls, broken systems, and profit-first policies that make it harder for regular people to exist online.
The deeper I go, the clearer it becomes.
This is not about one company.
It is a pattern across platforms, systems built for profit, not people.
When Compliance Becomes a Product
Even the basic act of following the law has become monetized.
If you want transparency, you pay.
If you want proper data consent, you pay.
If you want to meet accessibility standards, you pay.
Fairness has been turned into a service.
Instead of empowering creators, activists, and nonprofits, that model keeps them dependent on corporations that sell “compliance” as a premium feature.
The Meta Problem
Meta remains the clearest example of what is broken.
Millions have had their accounts wrongfully disabled by automation.
There is no clear explanation, no fair review, and no accessible support.
The appeals loop people are pushed into is endless, and in many cases silent.
My inbox is full of messages from people worldwide who have lost livelihoods overnight. Artists, parents, students, and business owners are cut off from their work, their memories, and their communities.
This is not just about losing an app.
It is about losing your voice.
The Human Cost
In the last six months I have helped build this movement from nothing to more than 44,000 signatures. I built a website, learned coding and legal research, learned to create graphics (some I have since changed or deleted 😅), handled outreach, and managed every social platform. It has been extremely hard to keep up as one person, but I keep trying.
I have worked 12 to 15 hour days, most days. Yesterday I finally took a short break. It reminded me that even when progress slows, I am still moving forward.
Lately, I have been slower to respond, but I am still here. A 32-year-old woman running an international effort on my own. Answering your messages (trying too), researching legal routes, designing, writing, and advocating all at once. Much of what I am building happens quietly behind the scenes and often goes unseen 😅.
I have even translated messages into other languages to help people around the world. Maybe not perfectly, but sincerely. I am trying my hardest with everything I have.
Sometimes I say I am doing this alone. What I really mean is the behind-the-scenes work: the research, building, coding, writing, and organizing.
I am not truly alone.
Everyone who has signed, shared, promoted, or supported has kept this movement alive.
You all helped turn something into a collective movement.
Why People Over Platforms Exists
That is what makes People Over Platforms so important.
It began with Meta, but it has grown far beyond that.
Many platforms silence, restrict, or profit from people’s access to their own voices.
People Over Platforms exists to challenge that system and to build an ecosystem where:
Compliance is not a luxury.
Transparency is not hidden behind a paywall.
Fairness is not reserved for the wealthy.
People are not erased by algorithms.
We are building the foundation for sustainable activism, ethical technology, and accessible digital rights, giving power back to people who have been ignored for too long.
If you would like to help People Over Platforms continue building resources, legal tools, and advocacy for affected users, please consider supporting our work directly: 👉 Donate here
Every contribution helps us grow, sustain this movement, and build real alternatives to the systems that failed us.
A Collective Fight
Every creator, business owner, and advocate who has been shut out of the platforms they helped build is part of this.
We fight because the systems are broken.
We fight because giving up is not an option.
We fight because our voices deserve to be heard.
If you have not yet added your voice, you can still join the global call for accountability from Meta: 📝 Sign and share the petition.
If you have read this far, thank you.
My posts are long because my mind does not stop and because this matters.
Since May 22nd, this movement has become something real that helps people feel seen, heard, and supported.
To everyone still waiting for a reply from me, I am doing my best. Some days are hard, but I keep going because this fight matters, and because people like you are here, reading, caring, and standing with us.
Thank you for standing and fighting with us ✊
I filed a complaint with the office of the privacy commissioner in August after radio silence from META after several emails and even a refusal from META to speak to Canadian Media about my case. I was told today, that it is being investigated. This needs to stop.
Amazing !!!!!!