A QUEENSLAND event producer says she has been locked out of her entire online business network after her accounts were allegedly misclassified for serious policy violations, just days before a scheduled live event.
Cindy Jensen said she was permanently banned from Meta platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, on Good Friday, cutting off access to the audience she had built over 13 years.
“My entire business and communication system was removed overnight without notice and without the ability to speak to anyone or challenge the decision,” Ms Jensen said.
Ms Jensen claims her accounts were flagged for “child sexual exploitation” – an allegation she strongly denies – and says she has not been given an opportunity to respond.
“My accounts were falsely flagged for something extremely serious, and I have had no opportunity to provide evidence or context,” she said.
“It has been devastating, both professionally and personally.”
Over more than a decade, Ms Jensen built a digital presence that she says underpinned her events and media work, including Silent Riot Collective, which has more than 13,000 followers across platforms, an Instagram audience exceeding 5500 followers, and a newer community media page, The Mooring, which attracted more than 650 members within four months.
She said those platforms were central to ticket sales, audience communication and event promotion.
“This isn’t just a social media inconvenience, this is my entire business infrastructure,” Ms Jensen said.
Ms Jensen said attempts to restart her online presence had also failed, with a new account disabled shortly after it was created.
The shutdown has come at a critical time, with an upcoming live event already in market.
“This has put enormous pressure on a small independent business that relies entirely on direct audience engagement.”
Ms Jensen said the situation raised broader concerns about how automated moderation systems affect small businesses and independent operators.
She has since sought assistance from Henry Pike and lodged a complaint with the eSafety Commissioner but says she is still awaiting a response.
A spokesperson for Mr Pike confirmed the matter had been raised with his office.
“We have made a representation on her behalf to Meta for them to investigate the situation,” they said.
“We have given her an update that we are actioning her requests.”
A Meta spokesperson said the account had been escalated for internal review, but no update was yet available.
