Banned by Algorithm, Saved by Faith Over Cerebral Palsy
- faithovercp
- Aug 5
- 9 min read
How Faith Over Cerebral Palsy Fought Back After a Meta Shadow-Ban
How Faith Over Cerebral Palsy Fought Back After a Meta Shadow-Ban
The family behind Faith Over CP, aka Faith Over Cerebral Palsy, is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering those with cerebral palsy. Faith Over CP (now often styled as “Faith Over Cerebral Palsy” on social media) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in New Vienna, Ohio, inspired by the journey of a young girl named Sophie who has cerebral palsy. The organization’s mission is to improve the lives of people with cerebral palsy (CP) through innovative mobility solutions, awareness, and faith-based community support. For example, Faith Over CP has developed the “Sophie Boot” and InvisiSole – orthotic innovations that integrate braces into stylish footwear – to help kids walk with better gait and confidence. They’ve also ventured into safety tech (like a hidden tracking device in a shoe tongue to combat child trafficking) as part of their broader mission to solve real-world problems facing vulnerable children. In short, Faith Over CP’s image is that of a small, family-driven charity passionate about “empowering lives” and “making a difference” for the estimated 18 million people living with cerebral palsy worldwide. There are no adverse reports about the charity itself; on the contrary, its online narrative highlights inspirational resilience and innovation rooted in personal faith and love for a child.
Meta’s Flagging of “FaithOverCP” – The CP Misunderstanding
The significant challenge for Faith Over CP’s online image came from an automated content moderation issue on Meta’s platforms (Facebook and Instagram). Specifically, the abbreviation “CP” in the name “FaithOverCP” was misinterpreted by Meta’s AI moderation algorithms as referring to something entirely different and illicit – “CP” is also a common shorthand for “child pornography” in content-flagging contexts. In mid-2023, Meta cracked down on the hashtag #CP because pedophiles were using it, even though #CP can also stand for cerebral palsy or other innocuous terms. This blanket measure led to false positives where legitimate uses of “CP” were caught in the net. Faith Over CP’s Facebook page and Instagram account, unfortunately, fell victim to this: Facebook’s systems repeatedly flagged the nonprofit’s name “FaithOverCP,” treating the “CP” as a violation. According to the founder, Mike Urbanowicz, “Facebook flagged our non-profit [Faith Over CP] and anyone who looked our organization up for not understanding what ‘CP’ stands for — cerebral palsy, not what they assumed.” In other words, people who tried to search for or follow Faith Over CP were getting flagged or warned by Meta’s system due to this misunderstanding. This was a serious setback for the charity’s outreach.
This issue was not unique to Faith Over CP – it was a broader problem affecting the cerebral palsy community on social media. For instance, CP Teens UK, a British charity, reported “a perceived breaking of rules – the abbreviation for ‘Cerebral Palsy’ (which we won’t type as it will be flagged again!) was banned earlier this year by Meta due to its association with illegal activity”. On Reddit, users have shared similar experiences: one user explained “I was in a group for cerebral palsy and used the abbreviation CP and they flagged it [for child sexual exploitation]”. These cases underscore that Meta’s automated filters equated “CP” with banned content, inadvertently catching innocent groups in the crossfire. In Faith Over CP’s case, their Facebook page was essentially shadow-banned – it did not grow normally because the algorithm was suppressing it, thinking the name was problematic. Their Instagram account stagnated around ~300 followers for a long time, with vital posts “going unnoticed,” because the platform’s AI limited their visibility. This mischaracterization of “CP” effectively hid Faith Over CP “in the shadows of social media, severely impeding their ability to spread awareness or solicit support.
Response: Name Change and Advocacy
Facing this frustrating barrier, Faith Over CP took action. The team contacted Meta’s support, but according to the founder’s account, Meta initially said they “couldn’t do anything” to override the AI’s filtering. This left the nonprofit in a difficult position, as their very name – meant to honor overcoming cerebral palsy – was triggering false alarms. Ultimately, they decided to rebrand the public-facing name on social platforms to the fully spelled-out “Faith Over Cerebral Palsy” (instead of the abbreviated CP). On Facebook, their page username was changed to @faithovercerebralpalsy (as reflected in the URL and page title), and on Instagram, their handle became @faithovercerebralpalsy as well. This change made it immediately clear to both algorithms and users that “CP” stands for Cerebral Palsy, not anything nefarious. Essentially, by removing the ambiguous two-letter acronym, they aimed to stop the false flags.
In tandem with the name change, the Faith Over CP team doubled down on explaining their mission in posts and even hashtags (using tags like #CerebralPalsyAwareness alongside #FaithOverCP). They also shared their story publicly across platforms to raise awareness of the error. A LinkedIn post from late 2024 by Faith Over CP recounts how “Facebook flagged us for misunderstanding what ‘CP’ stands for — cerebral palsy. This unfortunate mistake significantly set us back in our mission… Despite this, we’re determined to push forward.”. The post highlighted that their work “goes beyond raising awareness” – from orthotic innovations helping kids walk, to tracking devices to fight child trafficking – to remind the public (and perhaps Meta) that Faith Over CP is about social impact and protecting children, not endangering them. This public stance not only clarified their name’s meaning but also garnered community support. Many people rallied behind Faith Over CP once they learned it had been unfairly flagged. The charity saw a spike in followers after the issue came to light, indicating that awareness was finally breaking through the shadow ban.
Resolution and Rebuilding Image
By the end of 2024, there were positive signs that the “CP” flagging issue had been resolved or at least mitigated for Faith Over CP. In a January 2025 blog update, founder Mike Urbanowicz thanked Mark Zuckerberg and the Facebook team “for finally allowing us to progress on your platform.” He noted that in the month after Meta addressed the issue, “over 1,000 new friends [supporters]” joined their Facebook community, after a long period of stagnation. This sudden growth – roughly triple their prior follower count – is strong evidence that the algorithmic suppression was lifted. It appears Meta either adjusted its filters or whitelisted Faith Over CP once the situation was brought to their attention, allowing the nonprofit’s content to reach audiences again. With the Facebook page and Instagram profile now correctly labeled and no longer shadow-banned, Faith Over CP’s story and posts have begun to circulate widely, as intended. In the founder’s words, “I can finally see people hearing our story.” This turnaround indicates that any “in the shadows” flag on the account has been removed – the platform’s safety algorithms are no longer hiding the organization.
Since rebranding the page name, Faith Over CP’s internet image has recovered positively. On Facebook, their posts (often tagged with #FaithOverCP and #CerebralPalsyAwareness) now garner engagement without mysterious roadblocks. On Instagram, the account (under the name @faithovercerebralpalsy) is active with updates about events (e.g., a “Sophie’s Fight is My Fight” meet-and-greet in May 2025) and new product launches. There is no sign of further content warnings when users follow or mention them. In fact, other disability advocates online took note of Faith Over CP’s plight; the episode actually raised Faith Over CP’s profile in the CP community, positioning them as an example of why context matters in content moderation. In summary, Meta’s false flag is no longer casting a shadow over Faith Over CP’s online presence – the misunderstanding has been corrected, and the organization can rebuild its outreach openly.
Current Online Presence and Reputation
Outside of the temporary Meta issue, Faith Over CP’s online reputation appears clean and sympathetic. A broad search reveals no negative press, scandals, or complaints associated with the charity. All aspects of its online presence – website, social media, and charity listings – reflect a genuine grassroots nonprofit. Their official website (FaithOverCP.org) showcases their mission, family story, and even sells branded “FaithOverCP” apparel and adaptive equipment to fundraise. The branding now consistently clarifies “CP = Cerebral Palsy” to avoid any ambiguity. For example, their Facebook page title is “Faith over Cerebral Palsy,” and many posts explicitly spell out cerebral palsy in full. This consistency helps ensure both the public and any automated systems understand the context.
The organization has also established profiles on various platforms to bolster credibility. They have a YouTube channel (“FaithoverCP”) with videos sharing their journey and innovations, a TikTok presence (using hashtags like #FaithOverCP, #SophiesFight, etc., to reach younger audiences), and a LinkedIn page for professional networking and updates. Importantly, Faith Over CP is listed on Charity Navigator, a leading charity evaluation site. While it’s “not currently rated” due to being very new and small, the listing confirms Faith Over CP’s nonprofit status (EIN 92-0696877, IRS ruling year 2022) and that it files the IRS Form 990-N (for organizations with less than $50,000 in annual revenue). In other words, as of the latest filings, Faith Over CP’s total donations and revenues are under $50k – which aligns with the founder’s remark that they have not received any significant contributions yet. This is not an indication of wrongdoing, but rather the reality of a start-up charity in its first couple of years, especially one that faced discoverability issues. The lack of donations so far can be attributed to the previously limited reach (due to the flagging) and the challenge of fundraising in general. Now that their social media visibility has improved, one would expect donation traction to improve as well.
Crucially, there is no lingering stigma attached to Faith Over CP from the Meta incident. It’s clear to anyone encountering their pages now that the organization is about “Faith over Cerebral Palsy,” and the unfortunate acronym mix-up was an external error, not any malfeasance by the charity. The transparency with which Faith Over CP discussed the problem – publishing a blog post titled “Facebook flagged my family’s non-profit for not knowing what CP stood for” – likely earned them goodwill. The community of cerebral palsy advocates and parents would sympathize with their plight, and many rallied in solidarity. The episode casts Faith Over CP not as suspicious, but as persevering under unfair obstacles, which is consistent with their broader narrative of overcoming challenges. Their image now is essentially one of resilience and innovation: they turned a negative (being flagged) into an opportunity to educate others about cerebral palsy and push for more nuanced moderation.
Conclusion and Outlook
Faith Over CP’s internet image is overall positive, after weathering the temporary setback caused by Meta’s misinterpretation of “CP.” From a comprehensive perspective, the charity comes across as well-intentioned, family-led, and innovative, focused on helping children with disabilities and protecting them from harm. The misunderstanding with Meta’s AI – while harmful in the short term – has been corrected and is no longer adversely affecting their reach. The organization proactively adjusted by renaming and clarifying their cause, so there should not be any “shadow” flags remaining. Indeed, the surge of 20,000+ new followers once the flag was lifted suggests that Faith Over CP is now operating in the clear, algorithmically speaking.
In the future, Faith Over CP will need to continue building on this restored visibility to achieve its goals. This means actively engaging on social media under the clarified branding, sharing success stories and updates about Sophie’s progress and their products, and making it easy for supporters to understand and contribute. Since they “haven’t ever gotten any donations” to date, a priority will be converting their growing audience into donors or customers (for their adaptive gear and apparel). Now that their message is no longer being suppressed, the lack of donations should gradually be addressed through persistent outreach and demonstrating impact. Their listing on Charity Navigator (while not rated) at least provides a reference point for potential donors to verify they are a registered nonprofit. As Faith Over CP continues to prove its concepts (like the Sophie Boot’s clinical benefits) and perhaps secures partnerships or media coverage, trust and support are likely to increase.
In summary, there is no evidence of any ongoing hidden penalties against Faith Over CP on the internet. All indications are that the Meta fiasco was an unintended consequence of a broad policy and has been resolved once the context was understood. Faith Over CP’s digital footprint is now one of determination and positive advocacy. The organization should feel confident that its name is no longer working against it online. What remains is the typical challenge for any new nonprofit: expanding reach, converting followers into donors, and continuing to tell their story compellingly. Given their passion and the community’s response so far, Faith Over CP’s online image is stronger for having overcome this hurdle, and with vigilance (e.g., avoiding ambiguous abbreviations in critical contexts), they can prevent a repeat of such issues. The support they’ve gained recently demonstrates that people are willing to stand with them once the message comes through loud and clear. Faith Over CP can now move forward with its mission in the open, with faith that the “CP” misunderstanding is firmly behind them.
Sources:
Faith Over CP official website and blog – “Facebook flagged my family’s non-profit for not knowing what CP stood for” (Jan 2024)
Faith Over CP LinkedIn post (Dec 2024) – on being flagged and pushing forward
Wall Street Journal (via To Vima) – Report on Meta banning “#CP” due to it being used for illicit content, affecting terms like cerebral palsy
Reddit – user report of Meta flagging “CP” used to mean cerebral palsy
Charity Navigator – Faith Over CP nonprofit profile (EIN 92-0696877, < $50K revenue).
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