News Facebook has blocked Kansas Reflector. Here’s what we’re doing, and how you can help.

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UPDATE: Facebook appears to have restored Kansas Reflector’s ability to share links to our website and our past posts, approximately seven hours after the problem was first reported. We have not received an explanation about why our stories were blocked.
Meta spokesman Andy Stone offered the following response on Twitter: “This was an error that had nothing to do with the Reflector’s recent criticism of Meta. It has since been reversed and we apologize to the Reflector and its readers for the mistake.”
As of Thursday evening, the column criticizing Meta still cannot be shared on Facebook. We are continuing to monitor the situation. If you experience any difficulties with the platform and Reflector articles, please let us know. If you want to support our work, please donate.
This morning, sometime between 8:20 and 8:50 a.m. Thursday, Facebook removed all posts linking to Kansas Reflector’s website.
This move not only affected Kansas Reflector’s Facebook page, where we link to nearly every story we publish, but the pages of everyone who has ever shared a story from us.
That’s the short version of the virtual earthquake that has shaken our readers. We’ve been flooded with instant messages and emails from readers asking what happened, how they can help and why the platform now falsely claims we’re a cybersecurity risk.
Allow us to assuage the biggest concerns first.
We were not hacked, and our website does not pose a cybersecurity threat. You and your devices are safe while reading our stories and sharing them. Facebook won’t let you do so at present, but other, non-Meta-owned platforms should be fine.
As to what happened, we’re still working on finding out. Many have wondered if one story or another was responsible, highlighting our coverage of the Marion newspaper raid or state government.
Coincidentally, the removals happened the same day we published a column from Dave Kendall that is critical of Facebook’s decision to reject certain types of advertising: “When Facebook fails, local media matters even more for our planet’s future.”
When we attempted to share the column on Facebook this morning — shortly after 8 a.m. — the link was summarily rejected. After a second attempt at posting, we instead simply linked to our website with advice to find the story there. Within the next half-hour, all posts linking to our site were gone. For reference, we have published more than 6,000 news stories, briefs and opinion columns since Kansas Reflector’s founding in 2020.
Scores of readers also alerted us that their posts linking to our stories had been removed.
So what’s next? We’re following up with Meta, of course, but the company’s appeals processes can be lengthy and complex to navigate. I can’t say with certainty when our Facebook account will be fully functional again. If you’re a Facebook user who has had a link to the Reflector removed and you’re able to appeal, please do so. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to sign up for our daily email newsletter, which includes all the stories we post.
You can also follow us on Twitter (sigh, X) and TikTok, if you’d like to experience us via another social media site.
We know this only goes so far. We know that many folks use and experience and share Kansas Reflector on Facebook. We are upset on behalf of everyone who keeps up with Kansas news via the platform and has supported us there. The site does them a disservice, especially in these waning days of the state legislative session.
Please know that we will stay dedicated to our work, committed to our readers and focused on connecting you to news that matters.
Clay Wirestone is Kansas Reflector opinion editor. Sherman Smith is Kansas Reflector editor in chief.
Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.