European Union
Under the Digital Services Act (DSA), platforms must give users reasons for restricting an account and an internal appeal for at least six months, and users can also take a dispute to a certified out-of-court body. For Meta’s services these bodies include Appeals Centre Europe, User Rights, Platform Control and, for suspensions over illegal content, Impress Dispute Resolutions in Ireland, all free for users. Each country’s Digital Services Coordinator takes DSA complaints, but complaints about Meta are generally passed to Ireland, where Meta is established.
As of 2026-10-26
Know this first
- Appeals Centre Europe says it does not take disputes about impersonation, hacked accounts, copyright or child sexual abuse material, or decisions about ‘account behaviour’ such as fake accounts, bots or deceptive personas. Suspensions for child sexual exploitation or account integrity may therefore fall outside its scope.
- Each body has its own scope and time limits. For example, User Rights does not take hacked accounts, lost passwords, problems that concern only direct messages, or notices older than 12 months; Platform Control will not take a case already decided or pending at another body; and Impress handles suspensions only where the reason was illegal content.
- Out-of-court bodies’ decisions are not binding on the platform. Using one is optional and does not stop you from going to court.
Official appeal routes
Out-of-court dispute settlement bodies under the DSA (opens in a new tab)
digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu
The European Commission’s list of out-of-court dispute settlement bodies certified under the DSA (11 bodies when checked on 26 October 2026; page updated 11 September 2026). It says the bodies are free or low-cost for users, and that if the user wins, the platform bears all the costs.
Ireland data in new Appeals Centre report (opens in a new tab)
techbuzzireland.com
Appeals Centre Europe, a certified out-of-court body in Dublin that handles disputes about Facebook, Instagram and Threads among other platforms, is free for users. Disputes are reviewed by people, but its decisions are not binding on the platform.
User Rights (certified dispute settlement body, Berlin) (opens in a new tab)
user-rights.org
Certified in Germany in August 2024, User Rights takes disputes about Instagram and Facebook (and other platforms), including suspensions, deactivations, reduced visibility and feature limits, free of charge for users. It works in English, German, French and Italian, aims to decide within 90 days (180 for complex cases), and its decisions are not binding.
Platform Control (certified dispute settlement body, Germany) (opens in a new tab)
platform-control.com
Platform Control (KLN information services UG), certified in Germany on 4 November 2025, takes disputes about blocked or deactivated accounts and demonetisation, free of charge for users except in cases such as abusive mass filings. The Commission’s list (September 2026) shows it covering Instagram and Facebook; it aims to decide within 90 days (180 for complex cases).
Regulators and public bodies
english.nmhh.hu
Hungary’s media authority (NMHH) sets out the steps: ask the platform for its reasons, file an internal appeal within six months, use an out-of-court body, complain to a Digital Services Coordinator, or go to court. It explains that complaints about large social networks are forwarded to the coordinator of the country where the platform is established — for Meta, Ireland.
Out-of-court dispute settlement for online platforms (opens in a new tab)
bipt.be
Belgium’s telecoms regulator (BIPT) explains that out-of-court dispute settlement is optional and can be used alongside other remedies, including the courts.
digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu
The European Commission preliminarily found that Meta does not verify the birth dates users enter and makes it hard to report users under 13 (IP/26/920), as part of proceedings opened on 16 May 2024. This is a preliminary finding, not a final decision.
Italian antitrust authority fines Meta €3.5 million (in Italian) (opens in a new tab)
ilpost.it
Italy’s competition and consumer authority (AGCM) fined Meta €3.5 million, finding it an unfair practice not to tell users whether Facebook account suspensions were decided automatically or by people, not to explain how to challenge them (out-of-court bodies or courts), and to allow only 30 days to object. Meta said it would appeal.
Courts, lawsuits and petitions
origin01-en.protothema.gr
Proto Thema reported that a Greek court ordered Meta to reactivate a user’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. The user argued that, contrary to the DSA, there had been no clear statement of reasons and no real chance to appeal.
Consumer groups and legal help
evz.de
The European Consumer Centre Germany (EVZ) published a German-language guide to consumer rights under the DSA, covering platforms’ internal appeals, dispute settlement bodies, supervisory authorities and trusted flaggers. It explains that platforms must give traceable reasons when they block an account.
Please note
This page collects public material as general information. It is not legal advice. Bodies and procedures change, so check the original link before you apply.
For step-by-step official procedures, see the recovery guide.