Journalist alleges Meta demonetized pages over unoriginal content claims

Independent journalist Ambuj Kumar has publicly contested Meta’s decision to demonetize two of his Facebook pages, 'Lokhit India' and 'Ambuj Kumar – Lokhit India,' alleging that the platform restricted their reach and monetization eligibility. Kumar claims the pages, which command a combined following of over two million users, were flagged for violating 'Unoriginal Content' policies.

Meta’s policy, tightened in July 2025, aims to curb the distribution of content that lacks significant original contributions or proper licensing. The company stated that accounts failing to adhere to these guidelines face penalties including reduced algorithmic reach and the suspension of monetization tools. Kumar, however, argues that he holds raw footage and licensing agreements for his reporting and has formally appealed the decision while requesting a human review of the findings.

The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between independent content creators and the automated moderation systems employed by social media giants. While Meta provides dashboards to notify users of policy breaches, creators often report difficulties in identifying the specific content triggering these penalties. Meta's guidelines permit the use of licensed agency footage provided it includes substantive editorial framing, though the specific criteria applied to Kumar's content remain undisclosed.

As of this reporting, it remains unclear whether Meta’s automated systems misidentified original journalism as infringing material or if the flagged content failed to meet the platform's updated editorial standards. Kumar continues to seek clarification on the evidence used to justify the restrictions.