Meta is finally addressing a problem that’s long vexed users: its lack of customer support. Bloombergreports that Meta is now planning to build a customer support division, which will be able to help users “who have had posts or accounts removed unexpectedly.”
Meta’s plans are apparently still in “early stages,” so it’s not yet clear when the new services will be available. According to Bloomberg, Meta’s plans were at least partially driven by insight from its Oversight Board, which handles requests from users to appeal the company’s content decisions. The board has repeatedly said that Meta should be more transparent in the way it communicates with users about its decisions.
The addition of customer service representatives who are able to actually speak with users could solve a long-running headache for many. Currently, users who lose access to their accounts — either through hackings or wrongful suspensions — have few options available to get them back. The company has an appeals process, as well as automated tools, but both can be difficult to navigate. The tools are so confusing, and often ineffective, that desperate users sometimes resort to other means, like hiring legal services or even hackers to try and get their accounts back. They often plead with executives and journalists on social media to help them regain their accounts.
But with actual customer support, frustrated Facebook and Instagram users would finally have a Meta-sanctioned resource to turn to. The company didn’t share specifics on how the customer service division would operate or would be eligible for help.
