Meta Platforms has apologized for an error where its automated security system mistakenly banned the Instagram account of the “No Kings Coalition” (无国王联盟) during a peak in nationwide demonstrations.
Security Glitch During Voting Drive
The tech giant explained that the ban occurred while the organization was actively promoting early voting for the upcoming November 3rd midterm elections. Andy Stone, Meta’s Vice President of Communications, stated on social media that the Instagram engineering team identified that the account’s “read” activity triggered the security system. Specifically, a tool from Anthropic PBC’s Claude accessed the profile, posts, and hashtags at approximately four times the normal rate within a short period.
Stone elaborated, “This burst of traffic, which was highly unusual, looked like automated bot traffic rather than someone browsing.” While the automated review system corrected the error and restored the account’s public visibility about an hour later, full administrator privileges took longer to reinstate.
“We sincerely apologize for this mistake,” Stone added.
“No Kings Coalition” Speaks Out
The “No Kings Coalition,” described as an anti-Trump organization, reported that its Instagram page was inaccessible for about 90 minutes on Saturday. Even after the page became visible again, organizers were unable to log in to manage the account. The coalition confirmed that all administrative access was fully restored by 5:33 PM New York time on Saturday.
Organizers criticized Meta’s actions, particularly during a critical period for their “get out the vote” efforts. They emphasized that Instagram is a vital platform for communication between the organization and its supporters. The coalition highlighted its extensive nationwide activities, spanning all 50 states and Washington D.C., involving millions of participants in nearly 3,000 events aimed at expanding early voting access and safeguarding election integrity.
Meta Clarifies Earlier Statement
Stone’s initial statement on Saturday had suggested that unusually high activity such as frequent posting, reposting, or commenting triggered the ban, which he acknowledged was “clearly” an error. However, the later clarification pointed to the excessive access rate from the Claude tool as the specific cause.
The “No Kings Coalition” has a history of organizing anti-Trump protests since President Trump took office. The group is planning a national online organizing meeting for Wednesday to focus on mobilization strategies leading up to election day.
Meta’s statement did not specify which Claude tool was used, who operated it, or the exact nature of its interactions with the “No Kings Coalition” account, beyond the high rate of access.
