South Carolina Resident Urges Federal Investigation After Six-Year Ordeal With Hacked Instagram Account and No Support from Meta
Florence, SC – [July 1, 2025] — In a compelling new statement, South Carolina resident James R. Watson Jr. is calling for a federal investigation into Meta Platforms Inc., alleging the tech giant is operating a “billion-dollar deception machine” that ignores consumer complaints, enables foreign manipulation, and hides behind fake customer support channels.
Watson, who had his Instagram account hacked over six years ago—allegedly by foreign actors—claims Meta has failed to provide any real assistance. Despite multiple attempts to recover his account, he says Meta’s system offers only automated responses, fake representatives, and a closed-loop support system designed to frustrate rather than help.
“Meta Platforms has built a machine that protects itself, not its users,” said Watson. “I was forced to escalate the matter to the California Attorney General just to reach a live person. Even Meta’s legal front, CSC Global, offered nine ‘agents’—eight of whom appear fake. I spoke with one person, only to be redirected back into a cycle of silence.”
Watson’s concerns go beyond personal frustration. He warns that Meta’s platforms are overrun with hacked accounts, fake profiles, and foreign-linked pages, some of which may be tied to terrorist organizations or foreign propaganda networks. He believes Meta knowingly allows this, benefiting from increased user activity and ad revenue—regardless of the source.
“Meta is running a ‘Paid-to-Play’ system,” Watson states. “When real users are hacked or silenced, they’re pushed to make new accounts, which inflates Meta’s numbers. Whether the accounts are real, fake, or operated by foreign actors, Meta profits.”
He criticizes Meta’s repeated announcements of billion-dollar investments in artificial intelligence and the metaverse while allocating nothing toward real customer service or fraud prevention infrastructure.
“If even a fraction of that money went toward hiring U.S.-based customer service teams, we could create thousands of jobs and actually protect users,” Watson said. “Instead, Meta chooses automation, AI auto-replies, and third-party firewalls like CSC to dodge accountability.”
Watson’s Demands Include:
- A federal investigation into Meta’s customer service and legal support practices
- Mandatory U.S.-based customer support teams for high-risk accounts
- Transparency into the number of fake, hacked, and foreign-controlled accounts
- Legislative reform addressing negligence under Section 230
- Fines or penalties for companies profiting from inaction and fraud
Watson says his case represents millions of Americans facing similar neglect. “If this were a bank or public utility, it would be shut down. Meta must be held to the same standard.”
About James R. Watson Jr.
James R. Watson Jr. is a resident of Florence, South Carolina and a vocal advocate for digital consumer protection and tech accountability. He is currently seeking legal and public support to push for regulatory change across Big Tech platforms.
Media Contact:
James R. Watson Jr.
843-687-1264
jwattslive@gmail.com