Man sues Facebook for $1

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By Rosa Golijan

David Fagin, a writer for AOL News, is suing Facebook for $1. No, that's not a typo — Fagin really is suing the social network for just one buck. And he's doing it because he doesn't know how else to get Facebook's attention.

TechCrunch reports that Fagin put out a press release announcing his intent to sue the popular social network after a series of frustrating events which began with a popup message informing him that he was temporarily barred from sending any friend requests:

The first time David Fagin saw he was being blocked from sending friend requests on Facebook, as well as being labeled a spammer, he didn't think much of it. Then, when it happened again, and he was informed that he was in danger of having his account deleted, he tried to resolve it by reaching out to Facebook's support department — only to discover they don't have one.

Instead of just shrugging things off and easing up on his serial friending, the man wrote an opinion piece for AOL news.

In this piece he explained that he was not only insulted by the fact that he'd been labeled as a spammer, but in awe of how a company the size of Facebook has a practically non-existent customer service department. There is no simple or convenient way for individuals to dispute account deletions or temporary bans and that — according to Fagin — is a big deal:

Half the world now uses Facebook as a primary means of communication. With the other half surely to follow by next Tuesday. So, If you don't think being threatened with banishment from Facebook is a big deal, try to imagine what it would be like to live in the '70s and be accused of making phony phone calls and banned from using AT&T.

After Fagin's article made its way to the AOL homepage, it caught the attention of litigation attorney Gillian Overland of Overland Law & Mediation in New York City. Overland reached out to Fagin, and together they decided a lawsuit was the only option left at this point.

"Obviously suing the world's biggest company for a dollar won't hurt their pocketbook, but it might get the public debate going. And that's the main objective here," Fagin explained.

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Rosa Golijan writes about tech here and there. She's a bit obsessed with Twitter and loves to be liked on Facebook.