CLEVELAND — She calls herself the little lady in Cleveland, but finds herself in a big fight against the social media giant that runs Facebook and Instagram. The News 5 Investigators were the only media in the courtroom as it all unfolded.
We’ve told you that Halle St. John, whose stage name is Halle Bo Bally, is a children’s entertainment performer in Ohio. She is furious that Meta took her accounts down for months after the company accused her of child sexual exploitation content and provided no proof.
Since her News 5 story aired, people from all over have been contacting us, saying they’ve been taken down, too, for no good reason.
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IN SMALL CLAIMS COURT, BIG FIGHT
In Cleveland’s small claims court recently, St. John came out swinging.
“This is a problem, and if no one’s going to speak out against it, then nothing is going to happen,” said St. John as she stood before the magistrate. “Meta intentionally built a system that falsely accuses people and then provides no option to plead your case.”
She’s suing Meta for breach of contract after it accused her of the so-called "exploitation content," then lost business while her accounts were down and had few options to tell Meta it was wrong.
“I spent hours, your Honor, looking for some way to contact this company. There’s absolutely no way to get in touch with them,” she testified.
PEOPLE WATCHING FROM AROUND THE WORLD
After our first story with St. John and subsequent reporting about us helping others in her same boat, the News 5 Investigators were flooded with messages from people across the country, including the UK and Tunisia, and from a woman in Siberia who wrote through an online translator. All those with the same problem are looking for our help.
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Nationally syndicated radio program and podcast “The TJ Show” also contacted us after they and a listener saw our reporting.
“There’s a very specific reason why we reached out to you and it actually has to do with a listener who reached out to us,” said the show’s host during a recent interview with us on his program. “She was very stressed out and upset…Jonathan, would you mind if we connect you directly with the one listener that reached out to us?”
Meet Deana Pizzutello from South Carolina.
“I would love a letter from Meta clearing my name,” said Pizzutello.
She’s a school teacher and got scared by the same accusations and the same message from Meta that St. John received.
“We’re both in the same industry working with children,” said Pizzutello. “And to be specifically falsely accused of something that is so disgusting relating to children, is really, really upsetting.”
Pizzutello said her local representative reached out, and the News 5 Investigators contacted Meta. Now, her accounts are back up just like St. John’s accounts are running again, as well.
“What it has to do with for me is, I so hope it gets back to Meta,” said St. John. “I so hope that they hear this, and they see how it’s affecting my life and so many other peoples lives.”
META'S DEFENSE
In court, Meta’s attorney, Walter Blackham, argued that the company didn’t make a mistake, that it appears AI hit a “false positive” on St. John’s account, and that the company’s terms and conditions are clear.
“Disclaimer of any guarantee that the Facebook services will be safe, secure, error-free or function without disruptions, delays or imperfections,” said Blackham, standing at the podium before the magistrate.
And even then, Blackham said the overarching law, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, protects Meta.
“It provides complete statutory immunity to my client in cases like this where they’re exercising editorial functions like removing or deleting an account,” said Blackman.
After the hearing, St. John said she was not impressed.
"‘You’re nothing without the people who get accounts from you,” said St. John. “If you didn’t have us, you wouldn’t have a platform. So, maybe, treat those people with dignity.”
We did ask Blackman for an interview after the hearing, but he said he didn’t have Meta's permission to do so.
The magistrate in the case has allowed a few more filings by early next month, and then he will make his decision.
We’ll let you know what happens.
