A writer who has been posting articles and content on social media since 2001 recently had one of their posts labeled as “spammy” by the social network itself. The writer, who has experience writing about social media, tech innovation, mentoring, and leadership, has encountered online trolls in the past but was surprised when the technology empire with 3 billion users targeted their post. The notification received mentioned that the post was removed for attempting to solicit likes, follows, shares, or video views in a misleading way. The writer reached out to Meta (formerly Facebook) for a review but has not received a response.
The writer theorizes that Meta may have flagged the post due to the mention of a link, as the network may discourage external links that take users away from the platform. It is possible that an AI scanning posts for keywords and links flagged the post as self-promotional. However, the writer feels that the approach taken by Meta was heavy-handed, especially since the post was shared on a personal account where friends and family look forward to seeing updates on the writer’s articles. The writer also noted that Elon Musk recently cracked down on posts with links on Twitter, making them harder to recognize.
The blocking and hiding of links on social media platforms could work against them, as sharing links is a common way for users to engage with content and share their interests with others. The writer emphasizes that sharing links is a fundamental aspect of social media interaction and has been a valuable source of leads for them. Feeling targeted by the platform and being labeled as spammy has made the writer consider exploring other social media platforms such as Instagram as an alternative. The writer expresses frustration with the changing algorithms and policies that now seem to target users who have been using the platform for an extended period.
Overall, the experience of being flagged as spammy by a major social media platform has prompted the writer to reevaluate their online presence and consider shifting their focus to other platforms where they may not encounter such restrictions. The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by content creators and users on social media in navigating evolving algorithms and policies that may impact how their content is shared and viewed. As social media companies continue to refine their algorithms and crack down on certain types of content, users may need to adapt their strategies to ensure their posts are not mistakenly flagged or removed.
