North Providence – After weeks of battling an automated restriction on its Facebook page, Yacht Club Soda announced on Thursday that the page is now fully operational. The company says the problem stemmed from Meta’s AI system mistakenly identifying the bottled soda as an alcoholic beverage.
Meta’s AI mix‑up
President John Sgambato explained to NBC 10 that the AI chatbot flagged the page because of the glass bottles used for the soda. Each time the company requested a manual review, the restriction was lifted only to return within seconds. “Every time our page was cleared, the restrictions would almost immediately return,” Sgambato said. “But this time, for the first time in a long while, our page has remained in good standing, and we’re cautiously optimistic that this is finally behind us.”
Community support
The business posted a thank‑you message on its social media channels, expressing gratitude to customers, friends, and the broader North Providence community for standing by the brand during the ordeal. “We appreciate the patience and encouragement of our loyal supporters,” the post read.
Impact on local business
Yacht Club Soda is a small, family‑run operation that has become a staple of the North Providence neighborhood, offering a range of craft sodas in distinctive glass bottles. The temporary social‑media restriction limited the company’s ability to promote new flavors, share community events, and engage with customers online. Restoring the page allows the business to resume its digital outreach, which is especially important for local entrepreneurs who rely on social platforms to compete with larger retailers.
Looking ahead
While the incident highlights the challenges small businesses can face when large tech platforms rely on automated moderation, Yacht Club Soda’s experience also underscores the value of persistence and community backing. The company plans to continue expanding its product line and hopes the recent resolution will encourage other local businesses to voice concerns when faced with similar digital hurdles.
For more information about Yacht Club Soda’s offerings or upcoming events, visit their Facebook page or stop by the North Providence location.
Original reporting: NBC 10 WJAR (Sinclair) – local — read the source article.
