Is it possible to suffer a “negative” attack on a social media account or profile? Sure, it is. My main, Meta Verified personal Facebook profile, which is different than my Facebook Page, is currently suffering a “negative social media attack” over the past 24 hours.In the past 24 hours, I’ve received reports of at least 81 of my personal Facebook posts be attacked–they have been reported to Facebook. There’s been only 1 or 2 posts that I’ve been able to actually see, such as this post about Santa Claus. After posting it here on my site, I posted on my personal Facebook profile about the post. That photo/image was reported because of “copyright” or a “trademark” issue. It’s not an issue, that one happens to have been created using Canva.com. It’s not a TM or copyright issue. Period.
Even the actual post that I posted on my Facebook profile, the one that said that my posts are being mass reported and I’m suffering a negative attack… that one was automatically flagged (most likely because of the word “mass” and “attack”). It took about 2-3 minutes for this to show up. I edited the post, by the way, to take ‘mass’ out of it:
I’ve written before, a lot, in fact, about negative SEO, and I’m pretty convinced, after speaking with Google employees (in person) about it, that actual negative SEO doesn’t really exist. It’s very minimal at this point. However, negative attacks on social media exist–and even thought I’ve written a lot about it and understand it (I’ve even served as an expert witness regarding negative online attacks), this is one of the first times that I’ve experienced it myself. What I suspect, at this point, and there is no way to know, is that it might be in retaliation for one of my last posts regarding the negative phishing spam that’s been occurring on Facebook. Either way, I am confident that I’ll get through this, as I’m taking some steps to minimize it. And, of course, if there is an issue, then I have confidence in Meta, as I am Meta Verified, and supposedly will be able to “speak with a human” if there is an issue.
By the way, as the first image/screen capture suggests, I believe this is a targeted social media attack because it’s been against 81 Facebook posts in the past 24 hours (maybe even in the past 12 hours!). If it was a few posts, okay… but not 81 posts in 24 hours.
In the meantime, here are some tips if you’ve experienced the same thing as I’ve experienced (a negative social media attack).
If your posts on Facebook are getting flagged for violating community standards or other violations, here are some tips to address the issue:
- Review Community Standards: Familiarize yourself with Facebook’s Community Standards to understand what content is allowed and what is not. Make sure your posts adhere to these guidelines.
- Check Specific Violation: Facebook usually provides a reason for flagging your post. Identify the specific violation mentioned in the notification and review your post to understand how it might have violated the standards.
- Edit or Remove Violating Content: If you identify the content that led to the violation, consider editing or removing it. This might involve toning down language, removing offensive images, or adjusting any other elements that could be problematic.
- Appeal the Decision: Facebook allows users to appeal content decisions. If you believe your post was wrongly flagged, use the appeal process to provide additional context or clarification. This option is often available in the notification you receive.
- Use Privacy Settings: Adjust your privacy settings to control who can see your posts. This can help prevent potential violations from being reported by users who might find your content objectionable.
- Avoid Spammy Behavior: Facebook might flag posts that exhibit spammy behavior. Ensure that your posts are genuine and not repetitive, misleading, or excessively promotional.
- Report Bugs: If you believe the flagging is due to a technical issue or bug, report it to Facebook. They have a system for users to report problems with the platform.
- Seek Help from Support: If the issue persists, you can contact Facebook support for assistance. They may be able to provide more information on the specific violation and guide you on how to resolve it.
Remember that social media platforms regularly update their community standards, so it’s essential to stay informed about any changes. Additionally, be respectful of differing opinions and engage in constructive dialogue to maintain a positive online presence.