A creative billboard campaign to highlight the rising number of scams and identity theft on Instagram has been blocked by outside advertisers for fear of upsetting Meta.
Media buyers refused to display the billboards, citing concerns that they “don’t want to look like we’re supporting the message” because “Meta are a client”.
The creative campaign, created by Insiders, mirrors the aesthetic of an existing Meta advert, but instead of glamorised, aspirational visuals, they’ve flipped the mood to show the darker reality of when people are hacked and ghosted by Meta.
Insiders say the censorship is a scary example of how hard it is to hold Big Tech to account when the entire advertising ecosystem is reliant on their money.
Supported by victims and organisations such as Refundee, #IgnoredByInsta calls attention to how Instagram’s automated systems, fake account activity, and absence of human contact are leaving users vulnerable to financial loss, emotional distress, and repeated scams. The timing of the campaign also aligns with the BBC Scam Safe Week 2020, which helps the public stay informed in the fight against scams.
The campaign, launched by an Instagram scam victim, is accompanied by a Change.org petition (www.change.org/ignoredbyinsta), titled 'Make Instagram (Meta) more accountable #IgnoredbyInsta,' which details five demands for improved user security. The petition highlights the stark contrast between Instagram's high-tech facade and the complete absence of human support when a user's identity is stolen and their contacts are defrauded. It argues that for a platform holding so much personal data, from identities to livelihoods, an accessible, human response system during a crisis should be the baseline.
Jonny Stanton, an Instagram scam victim, who set up the Change.org/ignoredbyinsta comments:
“It’s extraordinary, the campaign is about how Big Tech ignores victims, and then Big Tech’s influence silences the campaign itself. I simply want to make others aware of how easy it is to be scammed yet so difficult to get a response from Instagram, when you most need one.
By signing, supporters join the call for Meta to implement immediate account freezing options, human support within minutes of a takeover, and greater transparency on incident volumes. The petition underscores that the current system fails to meet the spirit of the UK's Online Safety Act, which places a legal duty on platforms to protect users from harm. The goal is to force the multi-billion-dollar company to stop treating identity theft as a mere administrative glitch and start treating it as the crime it is.
Stu McFadden, co-founder of Refundee, comments: “Every day, more people are being scammed or impersonated and often the scammers start on social media. Victims are reporting through official channels and getting nowhere. Instagram’s lack of action has real-world consequences - and real victims.”