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An Indiana attorney sharing the name of Meta’s billionaire founder, Mark Zuckerberg, has initiated legal action against the social media giant. The Indianapolis bankruptcy lawyer claims Meta has repeatedly deactivated his personal and business accounts, erroneously citing impersonation of its CEO.
For over 15 years, Zuckerberg, the lawyer, has navigated a complex landscape of mistaken identity on the platform. His verified personal Facebook account has been shut down five times. The most recent incident involved the fourth deactivation of his law firm’s page in May, which resulted in a loss of $11,000 in advertising funds. This financial impact ultimately prompted him to take his grievances to court.
“Normally, you’d dismiss it as ‘just Facebook,’ but this time, it’s directly impacting my business’s bottom line,” the aggrieved attorney stated. “They accepted my advertising fees, then shut down my account, alleging impersonation of a celebrity, not using my true name, and violating community standards. It’s the same message every single time.”
The lawsuit, filed in Marion Superior Court, accuses Meta of negligence and breach of contract. Zuckerberg contends that his accounts were suspended for baseless and improper reasons. He described a “painfully long” appeals process following each deactivation, involving the submission of personal identification like photos, driver’s licenses, and credit cards to verify his identity and reinstate his access.
“It’s truly offensive that a company lauded for its technological prowess cannot prevent this from happening,” said Zuckerberg, who boasts 38 years of experience in bankruptcy law. “It feels almost intentional, even though I’m sure it’s not.”
Meta confirmed receipt of Zuckerberg’s complaint and stated it was under review. A spokesperson acknowledged, “We understand there’s more than one Mark Zuckerberg in the world, and we are investigating this matter thoroughly.” Later, Meta confirmed the attorney’s account had been reinstated. “We have reactivated Mark Zuckerberg’s account, finding it was disabled in error. We appreciate Mr. Zuckerberg’s patience and are working to prevent future occurrences,” a company representative affirmed.
While the lawyer jokingly admits that sharing a name with the tech mogul has occasional perks, such as securing prime restaurant reservations, it has predominantly been a “thorn in his side.” His law firm routinely receives calls from Facebook users seeking account assistance and numerous packages intended for the Meta CEO. In a notable instance in 2020, he was even mistakenly sued by Washington State’s Department of Social and Health Services for alleged financial exploitation.
Despite the persistent challenges, Zuckerberg continues to rely on platforms like Facebook to attract new clients and remain competitive within the local legal market. He has even launched a dedicated website to document the ongoing identity mix-ups.
“The fact that this is now directly affecting my business, preventing clients from finding me, is unacceptable,” the frustrated lawyer emphasized. His demands include a full refund of his advertising funds, attorney fees, an injunction to prevent future suspensions, and a personalized apology from the Meta CEO himself – though he humorously concedes the latter is unlikely to happen.