A Samoan news platform in the United States is preparing to take legal action against tech giants Meta and Google, claiming that the companies have blocked access to its audience and violated its rights.

The Lone Star Samoan, a news service based in Utah, says it plans to sue after its lead journalist, Tina Mata’afa Tufele, was locked out of her Facebook account in late March.

Tufele, a journalist who has worked in American Samoa and Samoa, said the account lockout has stopped her from accessing her personal page and several platforms she manages, including The Lone Star Samoan, Lotu 685, and Faletuiga.

According to a notice from Facebook, the account required Advanced Protection, including two-factor authentication, because it had the potential to reach many people. 

Tufele said she was unable to activate the feature because she could not access the Gmail account linked to her Facebook profile.

She said Google did not provide enough options to recover that email account, leaving her locked out of both services.

Tufele believes the actions by the companies have disrupted her ability to publish and connect with her mainly Samoan and Pacific Islander audience.

“We reached more than 354,000 people earlier this month,” she said. “Our readers were engaging, sharing stories, and raising issues that matter to our community.”

She argued the situation has affected her freedom to express her views and practice her religion, which she says are protected under the US Constitution.

Meta and Google have not publicly responded to the claims.

Tufele described the lockout as harmful to her work, saying each day without access impacts her platform’s growth and connection with readers. She also raised concerns about online harassment, including threats from fake accounts.

The Lone Star Samoan said it is now seeking legal representation to recover access to its accounts and content, and to challenge what it describes as unfair treatment by major technology companies.

Despite the setback, Tufele continues to publish on other platforms, including Substack and LinkedIn.