Atlanta stylist's social media restored after she says Meta mistakenly flagged her name for terrorist organization connection
ATLANTA (WXIA) - An Atlanta hairstylist said she nearly lost her livelihood when Meta abruptly shut down her social media accounts, citing rules against 'dangerous individuals and organizations.'
Isis Aguilar, who has been in the hair industry for five years, said her name — which is also used by a terrorist organization — was the likely trigger for the shutdown. Social media, she explained, is her primary way of booking clients and promoting her salon.
'I was just really overwhelmed, because that's how I make my living,' Aguilar said. 'My gut reaction was, 'Oh my God, my name is causing a problem again.' Common sense tells you it's still a beautiful name, but it's associated with a terrorist organization.'
Last Thursday, without warning, Aguilar's business and personal accounts vanished. Meta cited a violation of its community standards on dangerous individuals and organizations. She said the move left her with no way to contact her clients and no means to appeal directly to a representative.
'It feels hopeless because there's no phone number to call, there's not a rep. They don't give you a warning,' she said.
After days of unsuccessful appeals, Aguilar reached out to 11Alive's Angelina Salcedo. Hours after we contacted Meta, Aguilar's accounts were reinstated.
'Oh, my God, how did you do that?' she exclaimed on camera when she saw her pages restored. 'It almost got taken away from me. It's crazy. Thank you so, so much.'
Meta later told 11Alive the account deactivation was a mistake. The company did not respond to questions about whether Aguilar had been targeted or reported.
Aguilar said the experience left her feeling small against 'huge' tech companies.
'You do feel little, and that your voice isn't heard,' she said. 'But today, it finally was.'
By Angelina Salcedo.
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