Its a week since I last blogged here but it’s been a big week. I’ve written proposals, fulfilled contracts, continued moving house, lost access to my Facebook account and generally had a busy time of it. So, do please be patient!!
On Tuesday 8th June, my personal profile (Charlie Helen Robinson) was suspended by Facebook until they worked out an anomaly with an “unusual payment activity” that occurred.
Unfortunately it meant everything associated with this personal profile’s email address (charlie@charliedesign.net.au) had been suspended as well. This included all Facebook Pages created by my personal profile that were as sole trader ie the Dead Reds Wine Group, Charlie Design Consultancy and the newly created Social [Media] Butterflies.
I have provided links to the blogs associated with these groups if you wish to stay in touch for now but the experience has provided a very hard lesson and I want to share with others how NOT to have this happen to you! So, stay tuned as I learn…
In the meantime though – check this issue re Twitter (similar scenario to me and mine). Its obviously becoming something we need to have a voice in as time goes on as we interact more and more via these platforms.
http://scobleizer.com/2010/06/10/the-twitter-death-sentence/
Charlie-Helen Robinson 
Charlie, this reminds me about a blog post I wrote a few months ago, regarding our reliance on free social media networks:
http://bit.ly/aPN9nu
Facebook’s lack of accountability is terrible; certainly not a brand that any wise company would want to maintain.
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i have been saying for MONTHS that i needed to start transferring subscribers to the off-facebook scenario ie over to the blog. but even the blog wouldnt give me the ability to store user details.
my LinkedIn account – meant to be business focused gives me the same issue.
and i guess it’s because they are free.
but i still maintain it’s just not good enough. do we go to a “premium service” like we have on Flickr if we are to conduct business?
time to start the discussion and thanks for sharing your blog Michelle – it looks like we are all starting to understand the greater risks at the same time!! 🙂 xc
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I too have learnt this the hard way.
I now make sure there is always more then one admin on any page I create.
However it is still subject to the effective workings of ‘facebook’
Creating a list ourside facebook is a good idea
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thanks michelle and yes, you are right re facebook – it stills concerns me as a broader issue though… i know there are tools and applications that facebook provide to help capture a database and this is good… however… what about all my contacts on LinkedIn? What about my twitter stream (another 1000 followers listening)… i DO think we really need to get behind this and start campaigning for better support in the business risk arena… on ALL platforms 🙂
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I’d love to know what the “anomaly” was, and details of how it got fixed. That would be valuable info for others.
I don’t think going Premium is necessarily the answer. I’ve known Flickr members with premium accounts that have also had their accounts revoked due to some kind of infringement. But equally, I don’t see a Bill of Rights for social network users gaining traction.
Right now, the best solution to those who depend on their accounts is to have multiple presences: Facebook and WordPress and Twitter and Buzz and …. Which doesn’t help you totally. As you discovered, with Facebook, it’s not just your own profile you lose, but also all the pages you maintain.
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Hey Steve – its still ongoing however I have worked out there was “unusual payment activity” on my account. Facebook have said no more – nor have they emailed me since last thursday!! A fact I find frustrating. Will let all and sundry know when I am back swimming 🙂 xc
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Charlie you are spot on with this issue.
If facebook and others are serious about wanting companies to use this as a mainstream communications channel then they need to put steps in placed to prevent the type of experience you have had.
Darrin
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so so true… i have ideas and ways to conteract – and am implemting them as we speak but it’s a hard lesson. as yuo would appreciate teh “dead reds wine group” GREW out of facebook and yet facebook has been unwilling to support it during this crisis which is a completely separate issue that turns out to be a payment anomaly for an advertising campaign that i did for Rachel. She is not implicated – i did it as an experiment for her – BUT she is my client in this space and my own personal businesses have suffered. we all need to be aware – maybe of me – but seriously – of the lack of control you have over our own personal account on facebook.
facebook sees everything you do as the one entity. not separate.
for business and the people that support businesses, this isnt good.
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