Ask HN: Facebook threatening to permanently delete my account. Who do I contact?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10813633
by auganov • 11 years ago
7 6 11 years ago

Yesterday I was blocked from facebook which seemed to be the regular "Real Name Policy" suspension. I submitted my ID. Actually 3 IDs including my passport.

But I've been told twice that "we can't clearly see your information". Which obviously wasn't the case. I was like whatever, I'll appeal and get it back eventually.

But after my third message I got told "It looks like you're not old enough to join Facebook yet. You must be at least 13 years old to have a Facebook account, even if an adult has given you permission to sign up. We'll need to permanently delete your account, but you can create a new one when you're old enough".

Now I'm over 20, which the documents I submitted clearly show. I might look a few years younger, but there's no way someone could reasonably assume I'm under 13.

The worst is, it seems like that's one of the few cases where they outright delete your account rather than disable (which is supposedly what happens to people with fake names etc.). So as far as my understanding goes I won't even be able to appeal the decision. I sent a few emails to addresses I could google out but almost all got bounced.

I'm at a complete loss. The account I've used for many years will be deleted any second and I can't do anything. I don't even want to use that site anymore, just let me tell my friends I'm switching to somewhere else lol. I have a suspicion that I'm being treated unfairly because of my unusual name or even targeted because of a non-standard gender option and/or the way it relates to my looks. In the end I have no clue. But I'm definitely being banned under a false pretense.

I have screenshots of the support thread if somebody's curious (not posting here cause privacy).

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