The Growing Epidemic of Hacked and Disabled Social Media Accounts

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Social media has evolved into a vital asset for both personal expression and business growth. With billions of active users, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube along with rising competitors such as TikTok have fundamentally transformed how people communicate, share content, and engage with audiences. These platforms have not only revolutionized global communication but have also paved the way for new business models, including the influencer industry, which is currently valued at over $16 billion and projected to grow to $51.66 billion by 2030.

However, alongside this growth, a disturbing trend has emerged: the rising epidemic of hacked and disabled accounts. This surge is causing widespread disruptions, threatening both individuals and businesses by leading to loss of access, reputational damage, and broken communication channels with followers and customers.

What’s happening with Facebook and Instagram accounts?

Thousands of people worldwide have reported harrowing experiences of having their Facebook and Instagram accounts hacked or disabled. A popular subreddit has accumulated over 16,000 complaints from users facing similar issues, underscoring just how widespread this problem has become. Cybercriminals are employing a range of techniques to compromise accounts, including phishing scams, password breaches, and social engineering attacks.

One particularly troubling tactic involves linking a hacked Facebook account to an unrelated Instagram account, leading to thousands of legitimate accounts being mistakenly suspended or disabled by Facebook. This issue is wreaking havoc on users, many of whom find themselves locked out of their accounts with little recourse or support, further exacerbating the problem.

What is Meta doing to solve it?

Meta’s efforts to address the issue have fallen short. One of the biggest challenges users face is Meta’s notoriously difficult-to-reach support system. For many victims of hacked or disabled accounts, the experience of trying to get help from Meta is an exercise in frustration. Users often describe Meta’s support as nearly unreachable, with no direct customer service phone number or live chat options. Instead, they must navigate automated systems, FAQs, and online forms that can feel impersonal and unhelpful, particularly in urgent cases.

While Meta does provide a help center with guidelines on how to secure accounts or appeal account suspensions, the process can be slow and opaque, often taking weeks or even months for a resolution—if one is reached at all. Many business owners who rely on Facebook and Instagram for revenue generation and customer engagement face severe disruptions during this time, leading to financial losses and damage to their reputation.

In response to widespread user complaints, Meta has begun rolling out additional security measures, including:

• Security Checkup Tools: These allow users to review and enhance the security of their accounts, such as checking login activity and updating passwords.
• Expanded Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Meta encourages users to enable 2FA to protect accounts from unauthorized access, though it remains underutilized.
• AI-Driven Account Recovery Systems: Meta is reportedly investing in artificial intelligence to improve the account recovery process, but these systems are still in early stages and have yet to prove fully effective.

Despite these steps, Meta’s slow response time and reliance on automated support tools leave many users vulnerable. In particular, small businesses and influencers—who depend heavily on these platforms—often have no direct point of contact within Meta for support, which amplifies the problem.

Until Meta significantly improves its support system and offers a more transparent, accessible pathway for resolving hacked and disabled account issues, users are left with few options beyond taking preventative measures to protect their accounts.

Tips for People Whose Accounts Have Not Been Affected Yet

If you haven’t faced issues with your Facebook or Instagram accounts, now is the time to bolster your defenses:

1. Strengthening Security: Use strong, unique passwords for each account. Consider a password manager to help you manage them.
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication: This simple step significantly enhances your account’s security.
3. Regular Monitoring: Check your account settings and activity logs regularly for any unusual behavior or unauthorized logins.
4. Educate Your Team: If you manage a business account, ensure your employees are aware of cybersecurity best practices, including identifying phishing attempts.

Tips for People Currently Facing the Issue

If you find yourself dealing with a hacked or disabled account, take immediate action:

1. Immediate Actions: Report the hack to Meta as soon as possible through their help center and explore any available account recovery options.
2. Gather Evidence: Collect all proof of ownership, such as linked email addresses, previous posts, and identification documents. This will be crucial in proving that the account belongs to you.
3. Engaging with Support: When reaching out to Meta’s support, be clear and concise in describing the issue. Provide all necessary evidence upfront to help expedite the recovery process.
4. Preventing Future Incidents: Once your account is restored, immediately enhance its security by updating your password, enabling two-factor authentication (2FA), and reviewing login activity.
5. Get Help from Cybersecurity Experts: If you want to avoid the frustration of dealing with Meta’s complicated support system, consider reaching out to cybersecurity professionals. At 911Cyber, experts can take the burden off your shoulders and assist in recovering your account swiftly and securely.

What resources are available to help you secure your social media accounts?

Books

• SOCIAL MEDIA & CYBER SECURITY: Protecting Your Online Presence in the Digital Age by Dr. Simohamed Roudani
• The Small Business Social Media Cyber Security Guide by Jay Parisi
• Russian Disinformation Efforts on Social Media by Elina Treyger, Joe Cheravitch, Raphael S. Cohen
• Chinese Disinformation Efforts on Social Media by Scott W. Harold, Nathan Beauchamp-Mustafaga, Jeffrey W. Hornung
• Scams, Security and Over-Sharing: Controlling your information and staying safe online by Jon White
• Surviving A Cyberattack: Securing Social Media and Protecting Your Home Network by Todd G. Shipley, Art Bowker

Documents

• The influence of social media on the development of children and young people by The European Union
• Security considerations when using social media in your organization by Canadian Center for Cybersecurity
• Securing Personal Social Media Accounts by Center for Internet Security

Internet Social Networking Risks by FBI

Video

• Ask me anything cyber: Social Media Security
• Cyber Decoded: Social Engineering
• Cyber Tip: Keep track of your digital footprint

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This article was written by Marc Raphael with the support of:

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