27th October 2024, Kathmandu
“Discover how Facebook’s automated policies silenced a vital community page with 20,000 followers supporting Nepal’s Khudunabari. Youth of Khudunabari urges Meta to restore their platform and calls for transparent, human-reviewed processes for grassroots voices.”
Facebook’s Deletion of Khudunabari Community Page
In a digital age where social media promises to connect and empower marginalized communities, it is disheartening that policies often fail to protect or acknowledge grassroots organizations. Recently, a small, dedicated community organization, Youth of Khudunabari, lost its 20,000-follower Facebook page, a crucial platform to support and uplift Khudunabari, an underdeveloped community in eastern Nepal. Despite multiple appeals, Facebook’s automated systems and lack of human oversight have silenced this organization.
A Voice for Khudunabari
Youth of Khudunabari was founded with one goal: to provide a voice to a remote Nepalese community that lacks fundamental infrastructure such as reliable internet, electricity, and modern facilities. For years, the page served as a bridge, connecting those within the community and abroad, sharing vital information, and building a sense of unity and purpose. The page became a hub for fundraising, awareness, and support, providing hope and resources where they are otherwise scarce.
The Sudden Loss of a Lifeline
One day, without warning, the Youth of Khudunabari’s Facebook page was taken down. No specific reason was provided, no precise violation was pointed out. Multiple attempts were made to restore it, each met with automated responses. The organization submitted official documents, statements, and government registration papers as required, but Facebook’s decision stood.
Despite numerous appeals and reaching out to Meta’s support, each response felt like a dead-end. The organization’s pleas were met with automated replies, closed cases, and rejections without an explanation, deepening the frustration and impacting the support network of this vulnerable community.
Beyond Frustration: Seeking Accountability from Meta
The Youth of Khudunabari team went to great lengths to comply with Facebook’s demands, providing any information necessary to prove the legitimacy of their page. Even after showing proof of legitimacy, including potential references from Nepal’s government officials and the Prime Minister, Meta’s process remained impersonal and cold. The organization has made repeated appeals, questioning if the ban decision was ever reviewed by a human team or solely by an automated system.
Facebook’s responses often cite its commitment to user safety and transparency, but Youth of Khudunabari’s experience tells a different story—one of mismanagement and broken trust. For a community that relies on social media to amplify its voice, these policies have caused irreversible harm.
Calling for a Change in Facebook’s Policies
This organization’s experience is not an isolated case. Too often, community-led organizations lose their platforms due to vague policies and inadequate review processes, creating a chilling effect that discourages engagement and social good on Facebook.
It is time for Facebook’s leadership, especially CEO Mark Zuckerberg, to acknowledge the gaps in their policies and establish a more transparent, accountable, and user-friendly process. Platforms that hold such influence have a responsibility to protect the voices of the marginalized and the underrepresented.
The youth of Khudunabari calls on Meta to:
1. Reevaluate its Appeal Process: Automated systems cannot fully understand the context behind community-led initiatives. Human oversight is essential in cases impacting marginalized communities.
2. Provide Transparent Justification: Users deserve clear explanations for page removals, as well as specific guidance on how to address any issues.
3. Prioritize Community Voices: Large-scale social media platforms like Facebook are often the only means for underrepresented communities to connect with the world. Their policies should reflect the responsibility to protect, not silence, these voices.
A Call for Public Support
As Youth of Khudunabari rebuilds its digital presence, it is reaching out to international media and supporters to stand with them. The organization’s goal is not only to restore its original page but to initiate a much-needed conversation on Facebook’s responsibility toward community pages and grassroots initiatives globally.
In a world where connectivity and visibility are crucial, it is time for Facebook to honor its promise to build communities, not destroy them.
For more: Facebook’s Deletion of Khudunabari Community Page
