Emmett Soldati, the owner of Totally Tea + Coffee, is turning his legal battle with Facebook into a documentary that highlights the powerlessness of individuals against social‑media giants. He wants the film to show that ordinary people can challenge a corporate behemoth.
In 2018 his Instagram account was deleted without notice, leading him to file a small‑claims suit that was initially dismissed. After winning appeals at the New Hampshire Supreme Court in 2020 and a 2023 Small Claims Court ruling, Facebook was found liable for breach of contract, though he received only a few hundred dollars and the account was not restored.
Soldati says the loss of thousands of followers damaged his business and he represented himself to demonstrate that individuals can confront large corporations. He is now two years into a documentary with a $200,000 budget, fiscally sponsored by Film Forum, and plans to shoot in spring and summer 2024.
He hopes the film will inspire people to speak up when wronged by opaque platform policies, noting there is no customer support or recourse for users. He believes this message can empower others facing similar frustrations.
Source: www.concordmonitor.com
