bannedfrominstagram.com

Petition to Meta / Instagram Moderation & Policy Teams

My name is Anthony Waz, and I am the creator behind the independent brand Buy Vintage Not Cocaine, a tongue-in-cheek, anti-drug slogan meant to promote sustainable fashion and vintage culture.

On July 21, 2024, Instagram banned my brand’s account, flagging it for alleged violations related to “drug sales.” This was not only a misinterpretation of satire and free expression—it was a complete misunderstanding of what the brand represents. I hired a digital rights attorney and successfully regained access to my account.

But on May 19, 2025, it happened again.

Despite our history of compliance and artistic purpose, Instagram’s automated moderation tools—powered by artificial intelligence—continue to wrongly identify the brand’s name as a violation. This isn't just a glitch. It’s a systemic issue that affects countless creators, activists, and independent businesses using ironic, expressive, or cultural language.

I am asking Instagram to:

Immediately reinstate the @BuyVintageNotCocaine account.
Review and revise AI flagging systems to better understand context.
Create a more transparent and responsive appeal process for small creators.
This petition is about more than just one account. It's about protecting freedom of expression, safeguarding independent brands, and holding tech companies accountable for overreliance on AI systems that can ruin livelihoods overnight.

If you believe artists and small businesses deserve fair treatment—free from mislabeling, censorship, and costly legal battles—please sign and share this petition.

Let’s make social platforms more human again.

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