A complaint filed in the Northern District of California on Monday accused Facebook, Inc. of permanently disabling plaintiff Adrienne Sepaniak King’s account without explanation. King and her son claim that this act has led to considerable emotional damage for both of them.
The plaintiff said they had a personal account, with over 1,000 Facebook friends from around the world, in which she posted “personal information about family and non-political material, and shared political material and discussed political topics from a conservative point of view.” King discovered that her Facebook account had been disabled on November 17, 2020 with “no reason given.” Two days later, King and her son were told that her account did not follow “Community Standards” and that the decision was irreversible. King claimed that the suspension of her account has caused her “embarrassment and derision” as well as “emotional distress.” Her son, Christopher Edward Sepaniak King, had to witness his mother’s distress and joined her in this suit.
The complaint included six counts against Facebook: breach of contract relating to specific performance; violation of the Communications Decency Act; intentional or reckless infliction of emotional distress; negligent or grossly negligent infliction of emotional distress; intentional, reckless, grossly negligent, or negligent infliction of emotional distress and loss of consortium.
The plaintiffs are seeking declaratory and injunctive relief. They alleged that Adrienne King suffered “serious, severe, and extreme emotional distress,” and as a result Christopher King suffered “severe emotional distress, loss of society, affection, assistance, and conjugal fellowship with King, all to the detriment of his relationship with his mother.”
The Kings are seeking a reinstatement of Adrienne King’s Facebook account, declaratory and injunctive relief, compensatory and punitive damages, and other relief.
The plaintiffs are represented by Russell David Myrick.
