FitFam El Paso: The Impact of Instagram's Account Deletion on Local News

A Community Anchored on Social Media

In an unforeseen turn of events, the popular El Paso social media account @therealfitfamelpaso has found itself stripped of its primary platform: Instagram. With nearly 700,000 followers, FitFam El Paso served as an essential pulse on the city's lively scene, sharing everything from community events to critical news, often shining a spotlight on issues that matter to the locals.

A co-owner of the account, who chose to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, expressed frustration at this repeated circumstance. Having experienced multiple account removals, he noted, "This is our fourth time having to restart, so it’s business as usual. I don’t know why it happened this time because we weren’t violating much as of late.” The resilience shown by FitFam’s management reflects their commitment to serve the community, regardless of the challenges posed by social media platforms.

Loss of a Digital Local Hub

FitFam El Paso’s posts have often led to real-world consequences, such as the arrest of a suspected animal abuser following the sharing of incriminating footage. The account acts as a local news channel, a function that many users believe is unacknowledged by platforms like Instagram. Comments following the announcement of the account's deletion reflected this sentiment—"Don’t they understand this (is) our local news channel?" questioned one frustrated follower.

The affected users now find themselves asking where they can find the local insights and updates they relied upon. While a backup account still exists, the primary account's deletion marks a significant loss, as all content is seemingly unrecoverable.

Understanding Instagram’s Content Moderation Policies

Political scandal aside, this incident sheds light on Instagram's often opaque content moderation policies. The platform's Community Guidelines assert that accounts can be removed for violations, but many users are left in the dark about what constitutes a violation. In a world where community-curated content plays such a significant role, this lack of clarity could undermine the very essence of what it means to connect locally on digital platforms.

What’s Next for FitFam?

With a dedicated following, the team at FitFam is expected to continue their mission through their backup page: @realfitfamelpaso. While the deleted main account leaves a major void, their approach indicates the resilience of community-driven journalism, highlighting the necessity of platforms that facilitate local engagement.