An American attorney, who happens to share the same name as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, has taken legal action against Meta.
The lawyer decided to sue the social media company after his Facebook account faced multiple suspensions.
His name, Mark S Zuckerberg, caused confusion with Meta’s systems, leading to repeated account blocks over suspicions that he was impersonating a public figure.
Despite the suspensions, the Indiana-based lawyer has made it clear that Mark S Zuckerberg is in fact his legitimate name, and he has never intended to mimic anyone else.
He is now pursuing legal action against Meta, claiming the company removed his advertisement after he paid a substantial sum of $11,000 (N16.7 million).
He explained:
“This isn’t a joke to me—not when my money is involved. It’s like renting a billboard on a highway, paying for the space, and then having it covered up so no one sees it. I end up with nothing for what I spent.”
In efforts to prove his identity, the lawyer said he has provided Meta with his government identification, banking information, and other documentation.
According to the BBC, Facebook has reinstated the account and said it is taking steps to avoid similar errors in the future.
A representative for the company shared:
“We value Mr Zuckerberg’s patience and are implementing measures to ensure this type of situation does not happen again.”
On his personal website, Mark S Zuckerberg describes the challenges he has faced solely because of his famous name.
He revealed:
“My personal Facebook account has been shut down five times and my business account four times—all because Facebook suspects I’m posing as a celebrity or using a false name.”
“I face constant security issues: my account gets hacked regularly, I’m prompted to change my password several times a day, and I have to turn off my phone at night to escape a barrage of notifications.”
“Opening my original Facebook account—and regaining access each time it’s disabled—has demanded an unusual amount of identification: birth certificate, driver’s license, and credit card. It’s far beyond the typical process.”
Mark S Zuckerberg also shared that people frequently confuse him with the other Mark Zuckerberg, contacting him in error.
He explained:
“I get over 100 friend requests daily from people who think I’m the founder of Facebook. I also receive packages, letters with suggestions or complaints, and even demands about how Facebook should operate.”
“Every day, my office gets calls from frustrated users asking for help with everything from password resets to locked accounts or photos they want removed.”
Source: UGC
Meta Removes 100 Million Fake Pages
In related news, Meta recently reported the removal of millions of fake pages and accounts engaged in suspicious activity on Facebook.
According to an official communication from the tech giant, a staggering 100 million pages and 23 million accounts suspected of impersonation have been eliminated from the platform.
Meta affirmed their ongoing commitment to providing a space where genuine content creators are acknowledged and rewarded.
