I Was Kicked Off Facebook for “Child Sexual Exploitation.” Here’s What Actually Happened, and Why I’m Walking Away
There are accusations that stop you cold.
Seeing the words “child sexual exploitation” attached to my name was one of them.
If you know me at all, you know how deeply disturbing that claim is. I am a mother. An educator. A business owner. Someone who has spent her career helping people build ethical, honest work online. I would never, under any circumstances, endanger a child or engage in anything even remotely adjacent to that accusation.
And yet, that is the reason Facebook permanently disabled my account.
No warning.
No human review.
No meaningful appeal.
Just a digital execution, carried out by an opaque system that offered no proof, no context, and no accountability.
This is what happened, and why I’m done playing on rented land.
What Facebook Told Me
The initial notice stated that my account violated Facebook’s community standards related to Copyright Infringement.
That alone was shocking. I’m a designer, and I know all about copyright laws!
Even more troubling: Facebook never identified which post, image, or piece of content was supposedly in violation.
No links.
No screenshots.
No timestamps.
Just a vague accusation and a 24-hour deadline to “correct the issue.”
So I did the only thing I could do while blindfolded.
I deleted any photography that wasn’t my own. I reviewed old content. I removed anything that could even remotely be misinterpreted. I complied fully, promptly, and in good faith.
And then my account was permanently disabled anyway.
No explanation.
No appeal path.
No recovery.
The next email I got said they believed my account was hacked, so I thought, oh! Maybe that was the issue. So, I tried to log in, and that’s when I saw it. Staring me right in my face. Your account was permanently disabled because you violated our community standard of “Child Sexual Exploitation.”
What I Believe Happened
I can’t prove this. And that’s part of the problem.
But based on the timing, the nature of my ads, and the escalation of the accusation, I strongly believe a competitor maliciously reported my ad.
Facebook’s reporting system allows bad actors to weaponize accusations. And when those accusations involve children, the platform appears to default to automatic enforcement, not due diligence.
There was no investigation.
No verification.
No human review.
Just a nuclear option, and silence.
When systems prioritize speed and liability over truth, innocent people get crushed in the process.
What Was Actually Lost
This wasn’t just a social media account.
It was 14+ years of memories.
Photos of my kids.
Posts from earlier seasons of my life.
Professional milestones.
Community conversations.
Content I can never retrieve again.
It was also access to what many still consider the most powerful client-acquisition network for small businesses.
That loss is real. And I allowed myself to grieve it.
But here’s what I’m not doing.
I’m not creating a new account.
I’m not begging for reinstatement.
I’m not spending my energy arguing with an algorithm that doesn’t care if it’s right.
They abandoned me.
So I’m abandoning them.
The Bigger Problem No One Wants to Talk About
This experience exposed something that every business owner needs to understand:
If your business depends on a platform you don’t own, your business is fragile.
Social platforms are not neutral.
They are not fair.
They are not obligated to protect you.
And they are certainly not required to tell the truth about why you were removed.
You don’t own your audience.
You don’t own your content.
You don’t own your reach.
You are borrowing it, until you aren’t.
And when that access is revoked, you have no leverage.
Why Your Website Must Be the Hub
This is exactly why I’ve always taught, and now live even more deeply, the belief that:
Your website should be the center of your digital ecosystem.
Not Instagram.
Not Facebook.
Not LinkedIn.
Not whatever platform is trending this year.
Your website is the only place where:
• You own your content
• You control the narrative
• You decide what stays and what goes
• No algorithm can erase you overnight
Social media should support your visibility, not define it.
When platforms disappear, policies change, or accounts are disabled, your website WILL still stand.
Clear.
Credible.
Client-ready.
What I’m Choosing Instead
This experience didn’t break my business.
It clarified it.
I’m doubling down on:
• Website-first visibility
• Ethical, platform-independent growth
• Helping service-based businesses build real digital equity
I’m building in places where I have ownership, longevity, and control.
And I’m helping my clients do the same, so they never wake up to find their work erased by a system that refuses to explain itself.
A Final Word (and an Invitation)
If you’ve ever felt uneasy about how much power social platforms have over your livelihood, trust that instinct.
If your website feels outdated, unclear, or underperforming, don’t ignore it.
If your business lives primarily on borrowed platforms, it’s time to rethink that strategy.
I’ve built my online presence with intention, clarity, and ownership, and I’d love for you to see what that looks like now.
👉 Visit my new and improved website
👉 Explore how the SEEN Method helps businesses build visibility they actually own
I’m no longer playing where I can be erased without explanation.
I’m building where I can’t be silenced.
And that’s a decision I’ll stand by.
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