Instagram

[EFF]

I've tried to include my square site address in posts on Instagram and Facebook and they get flagged for content and deleted.

Why?

[Valentina]

I'm not sure what could have happened here, @EFF - you'll want to reach out to Facebook and/or Instagram, as they'll best be able to speak to why your website address was flagged for content and deleted. Because Facebook owns Instagram, the underlying reason is more than likely the same.

I wish I could do more, but this is something that we wouldn't have any insight into.

[EFF]

There's basically no way to contact Facebook or Instagram.  They say to put the url into the debugger tool, it says again "violating community standards" I fill out the report (daily for a month)  and hear nothing back from them. 

If you do a web search,  you find thousands of people experiencing this problem. Thought with the size of square's community,  someone might have had success solving the issue or getting Facebook/ Instagram to respond. 

[Somatobrod]

Hi @EFF,

I totally get how frustrating this can be—having your URL flagged without any clear reason feels like hitting a wall. I’ve run into something similar before, and here’s what worked for me:

1. Try a URL Shortener: Using something like bit.ly to shorten the link can sometimes bypass the flagging issue.
2. Check Your Site: Ensure there’s nothing on your site (like outbound links or embedded content) that might violate Instagram/Facebook policies. Even small things can trigger their automated systems.
3. Update Your Domain: If possible, try creating a slight variation of your URL (e.g., a subdomain like “shop.yourdomain.com”) to test if the issue persists.

Also, you’re right about the lack of response from Instagram/Facebook—it’s frustrating! Sometimes persistence works, but community forums like this one are a great place to find workarounds others have used successfully.

Let us know if any of these help! Good luck! 😊

[Somatobrod]

Adding to what Valentina and others have said, I’ve seen situations where even seemingly compliant websites are flagged due to overly sensitive algorithms.

Here’s another suggestion to try:

• Use Social Preview Tools: Sometimes, the way your website metadata (like titles or descriptions) is structured can trigger flags. Tools like Social Media Debuger can help you check how your site appears to these platforms. Update your meta tags and test again.
• Leverage Trusted Platforms: If you have a blog or content on a reputable platform like Medium or LinkedIn, link to that instead of directly to your site. It can act as a “bridge” and might avoid the automatic bans.
• Community Reporting: If this persists, gather others who’ve faced similar issues (through forums or social groups) to collectively raise the concern with Instagram/Facebook. Sometimes, they prioritize widespread issues over individual cases.

It’s definitely a pain, but these tweaks might help while waiting for a proper resolution.

Keep us posted—hope it gets sorted soon!

Regards InstaupApk