Why Facebook is a complete joke

55 replies
I have been advertising on Facebook on and off for the past 3 years. We only run things that either promote 100% content, or our websites that are not "make money" type sites, but more mainstream authority type websites. Recently, our account was shut down, so I emailed to ask what happened. This is the reply I got:

Hi Brad,

Facebook will not tolerate behavior that users may find annoying or abusive, or that violates our Terms of Use or Advertising Guidelines. You have used your account to submit ads that are explicitly prohibited by our ad policies. As a result, your account has been permanently disabled.

We will not be able to reactivate your account, nor will you be able to recover any content within the account. You will also not be permitted to create a new account to restart your Facebook advertising. This decision is final.

Thank you for your understanding,

Kyle
Risk Management
Facebook
I've been marketing online since 2002. I know what's potentially spammy, and what is nowhere near spammy. 100% of nothing we've ever advertised on Facebook could possibly be considered "annoying or abusive". I clearly received a predefined copy/paste answer with no helpful information. I emailed to ask him what ad he's referring to... and I expect no reply will ever be given.

Yet again, another reason you should NEVER rely on 1 specific method of advertising.

Facebook is a joke.

Brad
#complete #facebook #joke
  • Profile picture of the author Devin X
    Banned
    Google did this to me back in 2008 for no damn reason. IDK what's up with this either. You sure your ads were always compliant with their TOS?
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    • Profile picture of the author Helpaw
      Google did it to me also I checked out as much as I could find out, nothing .Google is the only one so far with a problem.
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  • Profile picture of the author GailTrahd
    Here! Here! to never relying on one specific form of advertising!

    On the other hand, makes me wonder what wet-behind-the-ears young lad got a hold of your advertising campaign and decided to shut it down.

    Something similar happened to me about 6 months ago, except that it was a virtual assistant for another marketer who put something together I don't think the marketer knew about - even to this day.

    I wonder what a well placed letter from your attorney would do? Might get you an answer or two - or it might reinstate your account. Never know!
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    • Profile picture of the author MrMike
      Hey Brad,

      Sorry to hear about your FB acct. Join the club. They are border moronic.
      After you stop bashing them in your head(which should be a couple of days), use your wife/girlfriend or family members account. If you got a form when you go to your acct manager that states unusual billing on your account. Keep filling out the form every week. They purge their system every once in a while and you might get a rep who will reinstate your account. Keep emailing them periodically that you need help. Tell them you are confused and need assistance.
      I have been reinstated 4 times, but then again I have been shut down 4 times too.

      Hope this helps,
      Mike
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    • Profile picture of the author ymest
      Honestly, Facebook's never been part of my marketing arsenal so to speak and I sometimes think I should but then, my instinct says NO! I have a personal account with about 30 friends and that's it! After reading this, I am definitely not going to bother with FB!

      Some swear by it, and that's fine! I prefer to concentrate on other things such as writing article! I also find Twitter far more effective and user-friendly!

      Yoan
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  • Profile picture of the author Robert Howe
    I've been using Facebook ads on and off for the past two years. I only use the ads to promote my FB pages. I never advertise any thing outside of Facebook with the ad tool, I link to my outside properties from the page posts. I've never had a problem with my account.

    Not saying I never will, but so far - no problems and I am getting traffic to my websites.
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  • Profile picture of the author DireStraits
    Facebook will not tolerate behavior that users may find annoying or abusive


    Newsflash: Facebook self-terminates amid midlife crisis after an epiphany. "My whole life's been a complete joke. From my inception I've lived a lie," the distraught internet giant lamented in a final status update on Thursday, before deleting all social ties and slitting its fibre optic cables. Cries for help had gone unanswered and largely unnoticed as it became clear nobody really gave a tiddlytwot, having only sold their soul to it for purely selfish reasons. Pressed for an opinion, heartless critics say it expected too much after mysteriously finding itself at the centre of attention for so many years.

    "FML. First it takes your spouse, then your social life. What next, my social security number? Ah, gave it that already, L0oO0oOLz!" wrote one person sweating profusely in an Engelbert Humperdinck t-shirt, who declined to share their name and age with us, but gladly gave it to Facebook along with their date and time and place of birth, and ethnicity, and height and weight and girth, and sexual orientation, and whether they're a virgin, and whether their middle name's Mary, and what they ate for tea last Wednesday at 6:34pm, and how they like their coffee, and whether they prefer salt or sugar with their Scott's porridge oats, and whether they say tom-ay-to or tom-ahh-to, and whether they like The Voice, and how awesome Justin Bieber was before puking and passing out out when they saw him on stage during the second half of his concert at London's O2 Arena at which he emerged 46 hours late and seemingly intoxicated to rapturous applause, and yer-but, no-but, sherbut-derbut-doo.
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  • Profile picture of the author badlimey
    Facebook to me is an indictment to all that is wrong in Western Society today. People who live their lives (real or imaginary) on a publicly accessible internet platform that collects profuse amounts of personal data are not only nuts but are also missing out on the sensory rewards that being outside and interacting with real people brings. Living life in other words.

    That said, paid promotion of specific posts is more effective and generally less expensive than Google's gravy train, the adwords platform (soon to come to a screeching halt).
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    • Profile picture of the author Carolynn
      Originally Posted by badlimey View Post

      That said, paid promotion of specific posts is more effective and generally less expensive than Google's gravy train, the adwords platform (soon to come to a screeching halt).
      Why do say that?
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  • No matter what they tell you, there should be a way to reinstate your account just as Mike had suggested. You could call their advertising sales and support line 1-800-601-0077 and demand to speak with someone who can give you further clarification as to what specifically happened. Or you can tell them to shove it, up to you.

    Either way here's the downside; whether they reinstate your account or not, you still will be forever flagged as an 'offender' so from this point forth your activity is going to be EXTREMELY monitored. Worth the aggravation? Maybe, maybe not.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mohammed Hammad2
    It has been always like this. Google Adwords, Adcenter, Yahoo PPC and now Facebook ads.

    No Respect for the advertiser even though they are the ones feeding them with money!

    Shame on them.
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    • Profile picture of the author Pitchfork Marketing
      Banned
      Originally Posted by MidMido View Post

      It has been always like this. Google Adwords, Adcenter, Yahoo PPC and now Facebook ads.

      No Respect for the advertiser even though they are the ones feeding them with money!

      Shame on them.
      This isn't exactly true...although the small advertiser (you and me) probably outnumber the larger advertiser (companies who make millions or more)...facebook, google etc,etc..actually make more money from the large companies than they do from us.

      Thats why they treat us like that.

      They could cut off all marketers today and it wouldnt be much of a loss to them...it sucks but thats the way it is..

      Just find other sources for traffic. theres a ton.
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      • Profile picture of the author Boricua
        Originally Posted by antoniobrave View Post

        This isn't exactly true...although the small advertiser (you and me) probably outnumber the larger advertiser (companies who make millions or more)...facebook, google etc,etc..actually make more money from the large companies than they do from us.

        Thats why they treat us like that.

        They could cut off all marketers today and it wouldnt be much of a loss to them...it sucks but thats the way it is..

        Just find other sources for traffic. theres a ton.
        I'm sure that if the head of ANY big company see what goes on in MANY of their front-desk employees area and the people they employ they'll be a heck of a great unemployment rate. Unavoidable with big companies, sooner or later this will happen..I guess it's very often up to the victim to follow up. Since most people just say **** it', with the amount of worthy option victims often let it slide..I know I won't in a worthy case. Would definitely have to cool it off after a few days or few weeks and get back on to it like I believe Brad will do.

        GL BRAD
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  • Profile picture of the author Rod Cortez
    You should hit up Mark Zuckerberg on Twitter. A Warrior was having an issue with Paypal and was so frustrated by their customer service that he hit up the CEO via Twitter and the CEO responded and took care of the issue!

    In all seriousness, getting a cut and paste response is pure laziness from FB. If Kyle from Facebook actually took the time to look at all the facts and try to KEEP your business instead of branding you as offender, this would have been taken care of in a jiffy.

    Brad's been around the block more than most people in this forum, he's been doing this for a long time, if anyone has a vested interest in following FB's TOS it would be a marketer of his caliber. I'm willing to bet FB has got it wrong.

    So Brad, are you going to try and appeal / fight this?

    RoD
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    • Profile picture of the author celente
      Originally Posted by Rod Cortez View Post

      You should hit up Mark Zuckerberg on Twitter. A Warrior was having an issue with Paypal and was so frustrated by their customer service that he hit up the CEO via Twitter and the CEO responded and took care of the issue!


      RoD
      yes I have done this with a big mailhouse company here in australia.
      And the director got back to me and sorted out the issue.

      So social media does not suck in my general view.
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  • Profile picture of the author TeamBringIt
    Facebook,Google have their own rules...They careless who thinks what of them. Avoid these nasty multi-billion dollar ventures and maybe one day they will fade. They bite the hand that feeds them, the very same hands that made them who they are today.

    For no reason, google can crush a successful campaign, just like facebook...
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  • Profile picture of the author Coby
    Originally Posted by Brad Callen View Post

    Facebook is a joke.
    +1



    I preach this all the time. FB is an accident waiting to happen.

    Cheers,
    Coby
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  • Profile picture of the author PerformanceMan
    Remain calm and follow up with them. Mistakes get made all the time.
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  • Profile picture of the author anton343
    Thousands of people advertise on facebook with no problem. One person gets banned and its now a joke?

    Move on
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    • Profile picture of the author UnclePeter
      50% of my Facebook traffic seems to be sad, lonely people who are tied to the house because of illness, children, unemployment etc. They would love to be involved in absolutely anything at aIl but can't afford it.

      I would love Google to give social media in general a good old Puffining or Polecatting. Whatever it is, it'll be an animal beginning with "P".

      I'm all for Panda and Penguin but there's still rugs that need taking outside and shaking.
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    • Profile picture of the author Coby
      Originally Posted by anton343 View Post

      Thousands of people advertise on facebook with no problem. One person gets banned and its now a joke?

      Move on
      If only it was just one...
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  • Profile picture of the author Carolynn
    Mikes Right

    Originally Posted by MrMike View Post

    Keep filling out the form every week. They purge their system every once in a while and you might get a rep who will reinstate your account. Keep emailing them periodically that you need help. Tell them you are confused and need assistance.
    I have been reinstated 4 times, but then again I have been shut down 4 times too.
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  • Profile picture of the author smodha
    Sounds like you caught 'Kyle' on a off day. I would hit them up and speak to someone else. Ask them to pull up the 'offending' ad or speak to visitors who were offended by them.

    Basically ask them for proof.
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  • Profile picture of the author Boricua
    Originally Posted by Brad Callen View Post

    I have been advertising on Facebook on and off for the past 3 years. We only run things that either promote 100% content, or our websites that are not "make money" type sites, but more mainstream authority type websites. Recently, our account was shut down, so I emailed to ask what happened. This is the reply I got:



    I've been marketing online since 2002. I know what's potentially spammy, and what is nowhere near spammy. 100% of nothing we've ever advertised on Facebook could possibly be considered "annoying or abusive". I clearly received a predefined copy/paste answer with no helpful information. I emailed to ask him what ad he's referring to... and I expect no reply will ever be given.

    Yet again, another reason you should NEVER rely on 1 specific method of advertising.

    Facebook is a joke.

    Brad
    No warning from facebook before Brad? Sounds like worst then Google Adsense!! There's ALWAYS room for appeal and re-consideration, really sure you know that and agree!

    To many unknown insights here, but I am sure someone of your caliber can get that corrected. If it was making you a decent amount of money, I WILL DEFINITELY fight back with my own appeal if I was 100% certain I wasn't abusing or violating their TOS and amount of promo policies.

    Just bite those emotions and do what's correct on your end if its worth it bud. You know it'll probably take time, but escalating will be the simpler choice without Kyle in the middle. That will be me if the ROI long term was good enough.

    You know cooling it a few days will do, then go strong with your teams assistance. GL buddie..long time no see man!
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  • Profile picture of the author thecableguy
    Don't they have to approve the ads before it becomes live? Or did you change it? Unless you're saying they okay'ed it and then turned around and banned you for it, or am I missing something?
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    • Profile picture of the author rosetrees
      Originally Posted by thecableguy View Post

      Don't they have to approve the ads before it becomes live? Or did you change it? Unless you're saying they okay'ed it and then turned around and banned you for it, or am I missing something?
      Exactly what I was going to say. ALL FB ads have to be approved before they run them. Even the slightest change has to be re-approved. They are banning you for ads that they themselves have already approved.

      Right hand ----- meet left hand!
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      • Profile picture of the author THK
        Originally Posted by rosetrees View Post

        Exactly what I was going to say. ALL FB ads have to be approved before they run them. Even the slightest change has to be re-approved. They are banning you for ads that they themselves have already approved.

        Right hand ----- meet left hand!
        You can change your landing page after the ad is approved. You can tweak your landing page all you want without going through anymore approval process.

        And visitors can have issues with the landing page.

        Tanvir
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  • Profile picture of the author writeaway
    Well, if you depend on someone else for traffic, you have to take what they dish out to you lying down. That's the law of the jungle.
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    • Profile picture of the author ExRat
      Hi Brad,

      Originally Posted by Brad Callen View Post

      Facebook will not tolerate behavior that users may find annoying
      I had been wondering why they had deleted all of their content and every single account :rolleyes:
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  • Profile picture of the author Charles AK
    but when big time companies do it it's okay! but we won't talk about that.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    Facebook will not tolerate behavior that users may find annoying ...
    Maybe they should delete Facebook itself, because there's almost nothing that someone doesn't find annoying.
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    Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.

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  • Profile picture of the author MartinPlatt
    They do it because they can.

    I think there's a lot of this sort of thing happening recently.

    The more this sort of thing happens, the less people will risk using it as a platform for advertising, as it's not worth the time and effort.

    If used to be that advertising was just that, but now, there's all sorts of rules, and big brother tactics that really are unnecessary.

    Perhaps they need to look at their own ToS and ban themselves - No I do not want to join Farmville, or build a vegetable patch!!!
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    Without seeing your ads, your landing pages, etc, it's very hard to give any sort of informed advice.

    There must have been something that triggered the block in the first place. They can get you for even small stuff. Even if your ad image doesn't closely relate to the ad. I know you want answers but just like this forum doesn't have time to tell everyone why their threads are deleted, the same thing applies at Paypal. They have a terms of use that specifies all the do's and dont's so that's where they will always point you in cases like this.

    It sucks but it's the reality if the situation. I know a lot of people will say it's silly because they are throwing away business but trust me, majority of the money Paypal make through their advertising platform would be with a small group of businesses who spend big money with them. The same thing happened with Adwords when they squeezed out the small guys. They much prefer to just deal with a smaller selection of big business than have to deal with mere mortals like ourselves. It makes sense for their business but can suck for us.
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  • Profile picture of the author sarahAttkinson
    Banned
    Have you carefully read the terms and conditions? There must be something in there that you missed...
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  • Profile picture of the author marcos08
    I think they are a law unto themselves, I had a few issues also but could not even find any way of getting in contact with them just kept going round in circles trying to find an email address that worked! I want to know how they can get away without a proper support system in place or maybe I have missed something but here in UK no joy.
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  • Profile picture of the author betterwtveter
    I know facebook sounds like a joke, but as long as you round up the right targeted social network that wishes to follow you instead of spamming the heck out of the website, than there is potential.
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  • Profile picture of the author J. P.
    Brad,

    I'm fairly new to using Facebook in my marketing mix. It's strange how they can send you all sorts of friend suggestions, but will shut you down or suspend you with no prior notice.

    Right hand ----- meet left hand! Couldn't have said it better.
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  • Profile picture of the author Charanjit
    Depends on what the landing page was, it all comes down to the complaints ratio, safer option is to advertise posts on face book ie facebook fan page which gets hits on friends of fans page.
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  • Profile picture of the author funkynassau
    I think it stinks that they didnt give you a chance to change around your page to suit what is ok with them. To just up and remove you is terrible and I dont blame you for being totally PO'd with them. How come it takes them 3 yrs to get around to this?
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  • Profile picture of the author Bill Hugall
    Yet in the MMO niche people are putting ads up that are going straight to a get my free s*** squeeze page. I thought this was a direct violation of TOS yet all of them are doing this. I feel your pain man.
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  • Profile picture of the author raheelmushtaq
    After Google now it's Facebook that is doing such activities and i have seen many good earning people from Facebook just got their accounts banned
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    • Profile picture of the author livo
      Why do Facebook and Google just terminate accounts without warning?

      It is really frustrating when this happens,why they cannot send a warning first by stating the possible wrong doing i will never no

      I understand jealous competitors can actually flag your ads, two years ago i had my YouTube account closed for promoting affiliate links in the description box yet there are still thousands getting away with it? Youtube confirmed one of my videos had been flagged three times so my account was terminated
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      • Profile picture of the author CyberAlien
        Originally Posted by livo View Post

        Why do Facebook and Google just terminate accounts without warning?
        Because they are big enough that they don't have to worry about individual customers. Remember, you're talking about the 2 largest websites on the Internet.
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  • Profile picture of the author WeavingThoughts
    We need lots of smaller companies instead of a few giants for advertising.
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  • Profile picture of the author ZephyrIon
    Complacency is a bitch man.
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  • Profile picture of the author MKaren
    facebook is promoting my page to 18old and below users..their facebook ads sucks!
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  • Profile picture of the author scoupons
    well
    this thread information is new and interesting to me
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  • Profile picture of the author Amod Oke
    The small guy always loses, now or later. No one cares about him.
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  • Profile picture of the author Brad Callen
    Ok, here's an update on things. I went back to Facebook and contacted them again, submitting the EXACT same message and information that I did the first time, that yielded the original reply from Mr. Kyle...

    Except this time, I got a reply from Derek who said this:
    Hi Brad, Thank you for your patience. Based on the information you provided, we have concluded the review of your account and you can now make payments normally. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Please let us know if you have any questions or issues in the future.

    Thanks,

    Derek
    Risk Operations
    Facebook
    lol... I'm not sure if this proves my point even more...

    Regardless, I'm back in... and Derek is my new best friend.

    Brad
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  • Profile picture of the author TrumpiaTim
    I haven't seen a platform that was perfect, so I wouldn't expect Facebook to be so.
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  • Profile picture of the author Handdy
    We don't do much of Facebook ads either. We tried it for a couple of weeks and it fetched us nothing.
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  • Profile picture of the author Eternal
    Probably reported by competition or something along those lines.
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