Absurd suspensions of social media accounts

What happened to Metta Spencer, a 93-year-old scientist from Canada, is truly difficult to comprehend. On her globally recognized and widely followed YouTube channel ‘ToSaveTheWorld,’ leading experts from various fields have been coming together regularly for years. Whether it’s about peace research, pandemics, climate change, cyber threats, or food security in the third world, specialists from all over the world gather on her channel and often participate in live discussion panels.

Social Media Account Suspended – What Now?

When she once again invited people to a panel discussion on October 27, 2024, and went live on air to discuss climate change, it happened. A stranger had hacked her channel, gained access to the discussion, and played pornographic material. Although the hacker was removed after just a few moments, the short video was enough for YouTube to suspend her account. The terse justification: pornography is prohibited on YouTube and therefore a violation of the Community Standards.

All of Metta Spencer’s complaints were to no avail, as there isn’t even a support team with real people to discuss such problems. And this is precisely where the issue lies with many social media platforms. Rules are certainly important, and monitoring content is at times understandable and necessary. However, algorithms also make mistakes and are not always able to properly assess a situation. As a result, an entire professional existence can quickly be pushed to the brink of bankruptcy. These globally operating platforms undoubtedly have a responsibility toward content creators, who rely on their content to secure their financial survival.

In Metta Spencer’s case, the situation ended well because the TV station CBC Toronto directly contacted YouTube and inquired why the account of a 93-year-old scientist had been blocked. However, most content creators likely do not have such luck or public interest, and this is where the problem lies. Arbitrary decisions should not be a principle of social media platforms, and in cases of doubt, real people should be reachable to thoroughly review a suspension if necessary.

The Danger of Arbitrary Actions on Social Media Platforms

Complaints about unjustified account suspensions and deletions are also increasing on platforms like TikTok. There, too, there is no longer any human monitoring or security team; the task is handled 100% by algorithms, which makes it prone to incorrect decisions. In a world where social media platforms are gaining more and more power, and at the same time, an increasing number of people earn their livelihoods through their accounts, this is a development that should concern us