Defamatory Account Reporting: A Threat To Financial Growth

Online investment was initially an innovative strategy for business owners to reach a wider audience through post boost that enhanced visibility within a short period of time. This perspective has changed with the emergence of a troubling phenomenon: defamatory account reporting.

To promote a safe online environment by curbing harmful content, including violence, theft, and pornography, social media platforms such as; Facebook, TikTok and Instagram amongst the others, have established mechanisms that allow users to report accounts they believe violate community guidelines or international regulations. When multiple users report an account in a short timeframe, Facebook often responds by temporarily suspending the account for a few weeks or even months, regardless of whether the reported content actually violates any rules. According to Aimé Etame, an online vendor, “The ease with which users can report accounts has led to a wave of unjust suspensions, with some vendors weaponizing it to cripple their rivalries.” Relying heavily on her social media account for marketing, customer engagement, and sales, Louise Abena, a florist, has recently experienced the effects of defamatory account reporting. She revealed that her activities were temporarily suspended without any valid reason. This happened after she had received several orders and restocked her merchandise. “Since I work with perishable goods, losing contact with my customers has prevented me from making deliveries. As a result, I lost FCFA 85,000 on the bouquets I prepared. Additionally, efforts to recover my account were futile though I paid FCFA 65000 to the cyber security expert as recovery fee”. In the case of a sudden suspension, some customers perceive the lack of communicati...