Woman Claims She Was Banned From Facebook Because She Doesn't Like Donald Trump
DETROIT (WWJ) - Facebook can suspend users if it believes they have violated their Community Standards policy, but a metro Detroit woman says her account was banned because she doesn't like Donald Trump.
Facebook's mission is to give people the power to share and make communication more open and connected, but Nancy Smith says she was banned from the social media site over her political speech.
"When you're blocked, you can't like, comment, message or post for that period of time," Smith told WWJ's Charlie Langton. "You can see the news feed, I can see everything that's posted, but I cannot do any of those activities."
The Shelby Township woman said Facebook initially banned her for 24 hours after she posted a political message.
"I was on Hillary Clinton's Facebook and I liked posts that she put up there -- and there's a lot of very vicious comments from Trump supporters and Bernie Sanders supporters," said Smith. "So, in commenting to one of the posts I just said 'I believe Hillary Clinton is the best candidate for president, #NeverTrump #PathologicalLiarTrump #NarcissisticTrump.' And someone reported me and all of a sudden, I can't get into my Facebook."
Smith says she was banned for a second time -- and this time it was amped up to 72 hours -- after posing similar comments.
"I got a message from Facebook stating that my comment has been reported and according to their community standards was in violation, so I was kicked off," she said.
Smith says she's tried to get an explanation or appeal from Facebook, but hasn't received a response.
"I feel like someone who's been arrested and they won't even listen to you. I'm not guilty," she said. "As long as I'm respectful and I'm not threatening someone or being demeaning, I should be able to stay on Facebook. And again, they're not even letting me have the opportunity to dispute it. It's so unjust and unfair. I am very, very angry and upset with Facebook."
Smith said several other Clinton supporters have also had their accounts banned for similar reasons.
"I didn't threaten, I said nothing different than what's been posted before from other people and it just makes me wonder who is reading those reports and they seem to be very subjective and biased," she said. "There's no justification, no reason to be blocked. And there's nothing you can do."
By getting her story out there, Smith is hoping the public will come together and force Facebook to make a change.
"We need to band together, we need to get to Facebook," she said. "I don't want to be afraid that I can't say what I want to say."
Representatives at Facebook could not immediately be reached for comment.