Meta has filed a lawsuit against a photographer, accusing him of selling Instagram handles — marking the first time the company has taken this type of legal action in the U.S.
Meta sued photographer and entrepreneur Daniel Folger in the California Northern District Court on Tuesday.
According to a report by Business Insider, Meta claims that Folger has been selling Instagram usernames and recovering banned accounts, profiting illegally from these activities.
The photographer allegedly sold Instagram handles at prices ranging from $700 to $50,000.
Meta says Folger has been offering and selling Instagram usernames since 2022 and continued those activities until this month.
When a user signs up to Instagram, the photo app’s terms of service include a clause saying users cannot “buy, sell, or transfer any aspect of your account,” including usernames.
Meta claims Folger “sold Instagram usernames and unauthorized Instagram account reinstatement services.” The lawsuit includes documentation of content posted to Folger’s Instagram accounts, including a list of usernames for sale.
Meta also alleges that Folger worked with a company employee to abuse the company’s internal dispute system and illegally reactivated suspended accounts.
The company also alleges that Folger “conspired” with a Meta contractor to “misuse the internal Meta appeal channel in order to circumvent Meta’s enforcement action and reinstate” a suspended Instagram account that Meta had disabled.
According to Business Insider, the lawsuit reveals how Meta is cracking down on the buying and selling of Instagram accounts and “unauthorized” account reinstatement services.
“We will consider all enforcement and legal options to protect people on our platforms,” a Meta spokesperson tells the publication.
“These particular abuses target users and violate our policies, and we are committed to countering these malicious activities.”
When a user gets locked out or suspended from their Instagram or Facebook account, it can be almost impossible for them to get assistance in recovering these accounts from Meta.
PetaPixel previously reported on Facebook and Instagram users are suing Meta in small claims courts to recover their lost accounts due to the social media giant’s lack of customer service help. Furthermore, these last-ditch attempts in small claim courts appear to be working for some of them.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
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