OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – A small business owner in Oakland County who spent over 17 years building her company had her social media accounts restored after one AI mistake devastated her business.
The West Bloomfield small business owner fought to regain access to her social media accounts after Meta wrongfully accused her of “child sexual exploitation.”
Previous coverage –> Wedding florist stunned after Meta wrongfully flags flower content as ‘child exploitation’
“As a mom of two, this is disturbing,” Tan said when her accounts were taken down. “I don’t post anything other than fresh flowers, weddings, and behind-the-scenes.”
Ching Tan, owner of Design Quintessentials, lost access to both her Instagram and Facebook accounts in June when Meta, the parent company of both platforms, disabled them without warning.
“It was in the middle of the night. I was scrolling and all of a sudden, I get this message saying your account is disabled, and I thought it was a prank,” Tan said on Wednesday.
The wedding floral and stationery designer, who has operated her business since 2007, estimates she has lost approximately $10,000 in potential new business this summer due to the account suspension.
Her Instagram presence, which showcased behind-the-scenes videos of wedding preparations and floral arrangements, was crucial for attracting new clients.
“It’s a really visual thing. People like to see what I do,” Tan said on Wednesday. “It’s devastating. They don’t even have a human I can talk to.”
Since Local 4 made her story known, her business’ social media accounts were restored.
“I got an email around Noon [Thursday], I believe, that my Instagram’s back,” she said.
Tan said she was surprised and glad to see her account was restored just less than 24 hours after Local 4 shared her story.
“I thought it would take a couple of days, at least, but no, it was less than 24 hours,” Tan said. “I was sleeping with a smile last night, I was like, ‘yes, I don’t have to worry about it, it’s back.’”
Tan said she still doesn’t know which photo or video on her accounts caused her account to be mistakenly flagged.
You can watch our full interview at the beginning of this article.
Growing pattern of false accusations
Tan’s situation isn’t unique.
The wedding designer, who had approximately 2,500 followers, received an email stating she had until December to appeal the decision before her account is permanently deleted.
Despite promptly filing an appeal and providing video verification of her identity, she was locked out of her accounts and unable to create new ones.
Adding to the frustration, there is no direct phone number for users to call when their accounts are wrongfully suspended.
Users often rely on an automated appeal system that leads to dead ends in many cases.
Tan had exhausted multiple options to regain access to her accounts, including filing a claim with the 28th District court.
Local 4 News has reached out to Meta for comment on this situation, but has not received a response.
People who have experienced similar account suspensions are encouraged to share their stories by contacting me at lkostiuk@wdiv.com.
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