University Facebook admin extortion

[oncampusrepairs]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Maryland

Hi all,
I am a University of Maryland student who repairs iPhones for other students. People love my service because it saves them spending $200 for a new phone at the Apple store when they crack them, and I fix them in an hour so they don't have to go without their phone. Anyway every college has a Facebook page called Free and For Sale(you need a UMD email to get in), and students use this to advertise services and businesses. I use this once a week and get tons of responses. The admin noticed this and said he was going to ban me unless I pay him a cut of my profits. I told him no because the group is free, but he didn't care and banned me. He is charging people to use something Facebook created to be free. Whoever joined the group first gets to be the admin, so he was just lucky. Is there anything I can do or is this guy just going to control all the on campus businesses? I would be willing to spend a good amount of money to make sure this bozo is gone, as I pay for college by fixing iPhones and this guy is ruining me.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Zigner]

Find a different way to advertise.

 

[jiggy78]

Why shouldn't he get a cut? Presumably he is spending volunteer time on this and you are benefiting greatly (or would be benefiting if you weren't so cheap).

 

[Mass_Shyster]

Anyway every college has a Facebook page called Free and For Sale(you need a UMD email to get in), and students use this to advertise services and businesses.

You have no legal recourse to force the admin to let you advertise.

It's possible (and I haven't checked) that the admin is violating the facebook terms and conditions by demanding a cut. If so, you can notify facebook.

 

[davew128]

Why shouldn't he get a cut?

For extorting someone using a FREE SERVICE? Seriously?

OP start your own FB page for UM students.

 

[jiggy78]

For extorting someone using a FREE SERVICE? Seriously?

OP start your own FB page for UM students.

There is no extortion here.

The volunteer who runs the FB page is providing a valuable service to the OP and helping him make money.

Look at it another way. Linux is generally free to obtain but I can charge you for my expertise in recommending which version, setting up your network, and providing support. OMG I'm charging for FREE SOFTWARE. Same thing as here.

 

[oncampusrepairs]

Jiggy78, you are completely misunderstanding how the group works. The admin is optional, he is in no way helping me and never has, this was created by Facebook as a FREE service. I cannot create another group, this is the only UMD one there could be. It is essentially craigslist for UMD students. He is absolutely violating Facebook's terms, but I don't know how I would go about pursuing legal action (who would care?). The companies that pay him to advertise on there are not even student companies, they are nightclubs. This was made as a free resource for students to buy and sell things, you need a student email to post or even look at it, and he is taking advantage of that by having nightclubs pay him to misuse it. That is not what it is for, PERIOD.

 

[Zigner]

Create your own group.

Specifically what terms of FB do you think are being violated?

 

[oncampusrepairs]

The UMD group says it's free at the title, and he is profiting off it anyway. If anyone should charge to use it, it should be Facebook. I believe there is a section in the Facebook terms that says the site is free too

 

[Zigner]

The UMD group says it's free at the title, and he is profiting off it anyway. If anyone should charge to use it, it should be Facebook. I believe there is a section in the Facebook terms that says the site is free too

Please feel free to cite a section of the FB terms of service that is being violated. Really - I'm not saying you are definitely wrong - I just want to see what you are referring to.

 

[jiggy78]

You have no standing to sue him for violating facebook's terms since you are not a party to that agreement. You could report him and facebook may do something. Their choice. (And in case you were wondering, you also have no standing to sue facebook if they choose not to by the way).

I still think it's perfectly fair for somebody who devotes time to some to take a cut from people who benefit from their work.

 

[You Are Guilty]

If it violated FB's terms and conditions, report it and let FB handle it. You have no horse in this fight.