{"id":914392,"date":"2026-09-29T18:54:14","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T18:54:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/914392\/"},"modified":"2026-09-29T18:54:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T18:54:14","slug":"canadian-says-meta-wont-let-her-talk-to-a-human-after-killing-her-accounts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/914392\/","title":{"rendered":"Canadian says Meta won’t let her talk to a human after killing her accounts"},"content":{"rendered":"

OTTAWA \u2014 A Toronto woman says Meta permanently shut down her Facebook and Instagram accounts without warning \u2014 and her only recourse has been to talk to AI chatbots.<\/p>\n

Jasmine Ault told The Canadian Press she has not been able to reach a human being at Meta since the accounts were deleted on Sept. 24.<\/p>\n

She said the company shut down her 20-year-old Facebook account, an Instagram account that dates back to 2011 and another Instagram account dedicated to her dog.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s actually quite scary to think about the trust that we put in the social media platforms that can all be taken away in one day. Truly, all of your memories,\u201d she said in an interview.<\/p>\n

She said she has lost her social media contacts and is unable to let people know she hasn\u2019t blocked them and isn\u2019t ignoring them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a dead end and I can\u2019t even communicate to the people I want to communicate with,\u201d Ault said.<\/p>\n

She described the experience as isolating. \u201cI can\u2019t even look back at my memories. I can\u2019t connect with anybody. I can\u2019t see what anyone\u2019s up to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ault said she has only been able to talk to Meta\u2019s AI chatbots, which have not been able to resolve the issue.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Facebook wants to be the main conglomerate for social media, they need to be accessible,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Media outlets have reported similar experiences among users of Meta\u2019s platforms in the United States. In July, The New York Times profiled several users whose accounts were deleted by AI, and who then had to rely on AI to resolve the issue. Meta restored some of the accounts after the newspaper flagged them to the company.<\/p>\n

Markus Giesler, a professor of marketing at York University, said social media platforms have become very important to people\u2019s personal lives and careers, and suspending an account can have personal financial consequences.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe like to think of this as a customer service case when in actuality it\u2019s a case of platform accountability,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese platforms have been woven so much into our social fabric, into who we are as individuals and communities, that access to them is really important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Giesler said efforts to regulate social media platforms should also address issues like access and being able to talk to a human being at a company.<\/p>\n

The Canadian Press has reached out to a Meta spokesperson but has not yet heard back.<\/p>\n

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2026.<\/p>\n

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press<\/p>\n

\t\tKeep it Factual<\/p>\n

Add CityNews Toronto as a trusted source on Google to see more local stories from us.<\/p>\n

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