Dr. Susan Block, a world-renowned sexologist, has initiated arbitration against Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. The legal action challenges the social media giant over alleged wrongful business practices, including the deactivation of her accounts, which Block claims have severely impacted her professional and personal life.

Dr. Block accuses Meta of “wanton, algorithmic, and unwarranted deactivation” of her accounts, which she states has effectively destroyed 15 years of work on social media, damaged her reputation, and infringed on her freedom of speech. The deactivation has also cut her off from essential communication channels with her friends, family, and colleagues.

“Meta’s actions have caused irreparable harm to my digital presence, relationships, and mental health,” Block asserts. “This AI-controlled deactivation represents the normalization of dehumanization. AI of this kind is artificial ignorance. It’s killing our humanity first, on its way to killing all the humans.”

The case, Dr. Susan Block v. Instagram/Meta Platforms, Inc., has been filed in Los Angeles federal court. Block is represented by G&B Law LLP, based in Encino, California, while Meta is represented by Mayer-Brown LLP, a prestigious law firm known for handling high-profile cases.

Block’s legal team argues that Meta engaged in wrongful business practices by using artificial intelligence to deactivate her accounts without proper oversight or justification. The case highlights broader concerns about the accountability and transparency of social media companies in their content moderation practices.

In her official statement, Dr. Block explains her decision to take Meta to arbitration:

“I am challenging Mark Zuckerberg and his company META’s unfair deactivation of my Facebook and Instagram accounts, and I humbly but adamantly demand that they be restored. I am taking META, aka the ‘Metaverse,’ to arbitration because that is the sole legal recourse META provides, the only way I can, perhaps, get Mark Zuckerberg’s gigantic social media mega-monopoly to face the truth about my META life and sudden death.”

Dr. Block, a magna cum laude graduate of Yale University with two Ph.D.s from Pacific Western and the Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Sexuality, is a best-selling author and a prominent figure in the field of human sexuality. She maintains that her deactivation has affected not only her professional engagements but also her mental and physical health.

“Bottom line: META’s error in deactivating my accounts has done great, irreparable damage to my digital life, relationships, fan base, artwork, archives, mental and physical health, as well as personal and professional reputation,” Block stated.

This case underscores the growing concerns surrounding the influence and accountability of social media giants. As more users find themselves at the mercy of algorithmic decisions, the need for transparency and fair conflict resolution becomes increasingly urgent.

Meta has faced similar criticisms before. Reports from KQED and BuzzFeedNews have highlighted numerous instances where Meta wrongfully deactivated accounts, causing significant harm to individuals’ digital lives and mental health.

Dr. Block’s case aims to shed light on these issues and push for a fairer system. “I am fighting back,” she declares. “I am fighting for my own META accounts, and I am fighting for others who have also been unfairly mistreated, dehumanized, activated and deactivated, groomed and then doomed, as well as grievously harmed by META, Mark Zuckerberg and their AI technocracy.”

Dr. Block hopes that her case will not only restore her accounts but also lead to systemic changes within Meta to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.

As Dr. Block seeks justice through arbitration, her case serves as a critical reminder of the power wielded by social media companies and the potential consequences of their decisions. The outcome of this arbitration could have significant implications for how these platforms handle account deactivations and user grievances, emphasizing the need for greater accountability and human oversight in the digital age.

You can follow Dr. Susan Block on X at @drsuzy.