Durham drag artist and nightclub sue Meta after automated system deletes accounts
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Dix sued Meta after their Instagram and Facebook pages were disabled on June 16.
- The complaint says Meta’s automated system associated event flyers with sex trafficking.
- The complaint seeks $25,000 in damages and restoration of account access.
Naomi Dix, a Durham drag performer, and her local queer nightclub have launched a legal battle against tech giant Meta Platforms Inc., the owner of Instagram and Facebook.
The lawsuit follows the sudden and permanent deletion of Dix’s social media accounts last week. Dix is a well-known drag artist and advocate in the Triangle, and her business, Club ERA on Durham’s South Dillard Street, welcomes gay, queer, trans and other locals to socialize. On June 16, Meta permanently disabled their Instagram and Facebook pages, according to the lawsuit.
The complaint was filed Monday by attorneys from advocacy group Emancipate NC in Durham County Superior Court. It describes the tech giant’s automated enforcement as an attack on LGBTQ+ creators. As of Thursday, Club ERA’s Facebook page is back online, but not the club’s Instagram page. Both Dix’s Instagram and Facebook pages are still deleted.
In a statement, Dix said the situation has been distressing as a “member of marginalized communities to feel as though my identity and life’s work are being erased without access to any due process or human review.”
“I’m especially distressed about this situation because it affects not only my business but my community and access to online safe space and trans, gay, and queer online support and events, as well as outreach based on accessibility because of the number of followers Club Era has obtained through community relationships,” the statement read.
Deleted without “coherent basis”
In the lawsuit, Dix and Emancipate NC say Meta’s deleting the pages was “offensive, dystopian, queer-phobic and unlawful.”
The automated system allegedly flagged typical, sex-positive nightlife event flyers as severe policy violations. The lawsuit states none of the content violated Meta’s terms of service, calling the platform’s automated associations with “sex trafficking” or “drug paraphernalia” “outrageous and untrue.”
A statement from Emancipate NC said the page deletion has “adversely impacted Club Era’s business and Ms. Dix’s ability to operate as a drag performer and influencer.”
“It has inflicted serious reputational harm, and it has deprived Ms. Dix of accessing over 12+ years of her intellectual property, including art, photos, video content, and further media collaborations and paid bookings. It has adversely affected the reputation and business of a safe haven for queer people in the Triangle,” the statement read.
When Dix attempted to seek answers, Meta’s automated support provided what the lawsuit calls “circular reasoning.” The automated noticed stated: “Our technology found your account, or activity on it, doesn’t follow our rules. As a result, our technology took action.”
Dix seeks $25,000 in damages, account restoration
The plaintiffs argue that Meta engaged in unfair practices under North Carolina law and seeks restoration of the accounts and $25,000 in damages.
A news conference is scheduled for Monday, June 29, at Club ERA at 6 p.m. where Emancipate NC and Dix will address the matter.
The News & Observer reached out to Meta’s newsroom by email for a comment and has not heard back as of Thursday afternoon.
“Meta has built an enormous corporate overlord of our society,” said Emancipate NC attorney Elizabeth Simpson. “Meta’s reckless disregard for people’s contractual and moral rights is abhorrent. They didn’t even provide a way to speak with a human being before shutting down Club Era’s page and depriving access to all of Naomi’s years of art and videos.”