No, Instagram didn’t suspend Zohran Mamdani’s account for being ‘too socialist’ | The Verge

Mia Sato is features writer with five years of experience covering the companies that shape technology and the people who use their tools. In a story published earlier this week, a site called “NYC Journals” claimed to have a bombshell: that Instagram had suspended the account of New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani for being “too socialist.” The story claimed that Mamdani’s account was down for three hours; it also cited a “leaked memo” from inside Instagram that said his content went against US national interests. The article is surprisingly detailed — it includes quotes attributed to Mamdani himself, as well as a “political communications expert” lamenting the control tech platforms have over political discourse. It would be a huge story in a race that’s already been surprising and contentious. The problem, of course, is that it’s not true. The article has been posted to social media platforms like Bluesky, Reddit, Mastodon, and X, racking up reposts, likes, and comments. But Meta spokesperson Ryan Daniels confirmed that there’s no such memo or restrictions on Mamdani’s account. Mamdani campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec confirmed to The Verge that the article, the statement attributed to Mamdani, and the account suspension are all fake.
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