When Brisbane jeweller Anfas Azad lost his 6,000 followers overnight to a Meta ban, he didn’t just lose his social media presence.

He lost his livelihood.

The Australian government’s response? Develop a voluntary Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) code to help banned users appeal platform decisions.

I’ve spent 15 years working with eCommerce organisations where customer experience drives everything. What I see in this situation terrifies me.

The proposed IDR code misses the fundamental problem entirely.

The False Safety Net Problem

Here’s what most people don’t understand about these platforms. They run on skeleton customer service teams and rely on AI to make automatic decisions because it reduces labour costs.

Even if the IDR programme succeeds, the consequences could be devastating. Higher platform costs. Increased advertising fees. More paywalls.

And here’s the kicker. How long will these complaints take to resolve? Meta and Google can drag these processes out indefinitely.

Time is money for small operators.

For Azad’s jewellery business, missing peak wedding season or Christmas shopping because of a months-long dispute process isn’t just inconvenient. It’s business suicide.

The Customer Illusion

Most businesses make a critical error when thinking about social media audiences. They confuse followers with customers.

Social media puts people in what I call “doom scrolling mode.” They’re consuming content without buying intent. Email subscribers are different. They’re in “buying friendly” mode because they’ve already established trust with your business.

For businesses like Azad’s, purchasing jewellery isn’t regular. Think anniversaries, significant birthdays, major events. The lead time can be years.

Those 6,000 followers weren’t just today’s audience. They were his ability to be present when someone’s milestone moment arrived years from now.

That’s what platform dependency really costs you.

The Strategy Before Tactics Rule

I see the same pattern repeatedly. Businesses start with channels and activities instead of strategy.

When someone mentions SEO, Google Ads, or social media before understanding your customer avatar, that’s a red flag. They’re putting the cart before the horse.

The 77% of businesses using social media to reach their audience are building on quicksand. When platforms change rules or ban accounts, everything collapses.

Canada’s experience with Meta’s news ban since August 2023 shows exactly what happens. Devastating traffic drops. Revenue streams disappearing overnight.

Platform Agnosticism Is Survival

Don’t put all your eggs in one social channel basket.

The solution isn’t waiting for government intervention. It’s building systematic communication across multiple channels. Email marketing. Your own website. Direct customer relationships.

Be transparent about why you’re encouraging this diversification. Tell your audience that relying solely on social platforms puts your business at risk.

Some customers will leave because they don’t want to share email details. Others understand that Meta and Google can hold businesses to ransom.

The customers who stay are your real customers anyway.

The Conservative Approach

Here’s what nobody wants to admit. The rules on these platforms are arbitrary.

This contradicts everything social media marketing teaches about being bold and engaging. But when the platforms have made rules so unpredictable, playing it safe becomes smart business strategy.

The Australian Government’s July 2024 deadline for voluntary IDR standards sounds promising. But voluntary standards from the companies causing the problem?

That’s like asking the fox to guard the henhouse.

What Australian Businesses Must Do Now

Start with strategy. If you don’t have one, talk to a fractional CMO who focuses purely on strategy, not execution.

Build review collection systems across multiple channels. When you have authentic customer feedback distributed across platforms, you’re not starting from scratch if one channel disappears.

Understand what triggered any previous bans and ensure you don’t repeat those mistakes. Learn the terms of each platform and be proactive about compliance.

Most importantly, communicate across multiple channels. If one channel disappears, you don’t lose your entire database.

The fight for fair appeal processes must continue. We cannot allow global corporations to run roughshod over small businesses without consequence.

But while we’re fighting that battle, don’t bet your business on the outcome.

Build your own foundation first.