DENVER — A Denver small business owner says he was locked out of his Facebook and Instagram accounts with no warning and accused of one of the platform’s most serious violations: child sexual exploitation.
David Martinelli said the accusations are false — and he’s not alone. He said he has since heard from people across the United States, including in Colorado, who claim Meta disabled their accounts for similar reasons, with no clear way to reverse the decision.
Martinelli runs a doggie daycare in Denver, but his business took a big hit a few weeks ago when Facebook and Instagram shut down his main communication platforms.
“I got an email from Instagram saying that my account had been disabled for a pretty egregious reason,” he said.
Martinelli received the message on Aug. 9, saying his account was suspended because it did not follow “community standards on child sexual exploitation, abuse, and nudity.”
“This isn’t real. This can’t be real,” Martinelli said. “... It’s almost embarrassing to even talk about. These accounts — mine had 20 plus years of memories on both my Instagram and Facebook that I can’t get back.”
Cut off from his personal and business accounts, Martinelli immediately filed an online appeal with Meta.
“This allegation is completely false, unfounded and deeply damaging,” he wrote.
When Meta didn’t respond, he reached out to Denver7 Investigates.
“That’s the biggest thing, is the lack of response,” Martinelli said. “And the lack of accountability from Meta on this issue.”
His experience mirrors stories from people outside Colorado — such as Amy Ladaw-Ortiz, a teacher interviewed by Scripps News Indianapolis.
“When I saw this, it was like child exploitation — I was like, what?” Ladaw-Ortiz said.
Federal open records requests reveal dozens of complaints from Meta users nationwide who say they were falsely accused of violating standards, including child sexual exploitation.
Brittany Watson, founder of the nonprofit People Over Platforms, launched a petition with more than 38,000 signatures, blaming Meta’s “broken” AI enforcement systems for disabling accounts without human customer support.
“The solution is Meta needs to be held accountable,” Watson said. “I am trying to advocate and use everybody’s voices and stories to push this forward. This should not be right. This should not be happening.”
Meta has not responded to Denver7's questions about the larger issue.
Weeks after his appeal, Martinelli said he still feels helpless.
“Lost, confused, and frustrated,” he said.
Suspension from social media, Martinelli said, has not just affected his business — it has disrupted the life he has built in Colorado.
“It’s also an emotional impact,” he said. “I’ve actually lost sleep over this because of the accusations that are being made… It’s a very isolating feeling when this happens to you.”
What should you do if Meta shuts down your account for something you didn’t do?
- File an appeal with Meta
- Consider filing complaints with Meta’s Oversight Board, the Colorado Attorney General, the Better Business Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission or even small claims court
