Entrepreneur Sues Meta Over Permanent Facebook Account Ban

An Israeli tech entrepreneur, David Popovich, is suing Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, for permanently banning his account after nearly a decade of activity. Popovich managed a personal Facebook profile with tens of thousands of followers and a related e-commerce entrepreneurs group, which served as the hub for his business, including professional content and courses. His account was initially blocked in November but was restored after a few weeks, with Meta attributing the activity to a potential third-party hack. However, on February 19, 2026, his account was permanently deactivated without prior warning.

Popovich has filed a lawsuit in the Petah Tikva Small Claims Court, seeking 39,900 shekels in compensation for damages, lost income, and emotional distress, along with the restoration of his account. Meta's defense claims that over 1,300 spam reports were filed against his account between 2017 and 2026, citing automated advertising, repetitive marketing content, and systematic tagging of users. Meta also argued that the court lacks jurisdiction to order the restoration of an account and stated that Popovich had been fully reimbursed for ad campaigns that ran after his account was blocked, a claim Popovich denies.

Popovich disputes Meta's claims, arguing that while he was active and ran paid ads, the number of reports does not equate to violations. He suggests that bots or external actors might be responsible for the reports, and Facebook's algorithm fails to distinguish such cases. He criticizes Meta's unilateral account closures, stating that businesses are often "liquidated" without warning, and highlights the lack of accessible customer service, leading some to pay thousands of shekels to intermediaries to recover their accounts.

He advises business owners not to rely solely on social media platforms, urging them to collect their own data, build customer clubs, and manage mailing lists. While acknowledging the difficulty of moving audiences away from platforms like Facebook and Instagram, Popovich aims to raise awareness among business owners who may falsely believe their online presence is secure. He has since pivoted to AI system development and continues his business activities through his child's profile, emphasizing that while he could adapt, many small business owners would face bankruptcy if their primary platform were shut down.