Instagram mass bans thousands of users in apparent technical fault

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Thousands of Instagram users woke up today to find their accounts completely suspended from the platform. Users were greeted with a message informing them that their accounts have been locked.

The issue appears to be a technical issue with Instagram rather than an actual ban, but Meta’s lack of clarity on the matter is leaving numerous users confused and angry, with many voicing their outrage on Twitter for being under the impression that they violated the site’s Terms of Service.

Instagram said on Twitter that it is aware of the problem, but did not comment on whether the suspensions were the result of a bug, or if they would ever be restored. The company failed to provide any details on whether the problem will be fixed.

“We’re aware that some of you are having issues accessing your Instagram account,” its official account wrote. “We’re looking into it and apologise for the inconvenience.”

We're aware that some of you are having issues accessing your Instagram account. We're looking into it and apologize for the inconvenience. #instagramdown

— Instagram Comms (@InstagramComms) October 31, 2022

Users who were still able to use the platform found that they had dropped by thousands of followers, presumably a result of the mass ban.

The wave of bans comes as Meta experiences a series of technical issues. Last week, Meta app WhatsApp went offline for a significant period of time.