Meta announced on Friday that it would be removing the restrictions placed on former US President Donald Trump‘s Facebook and Instagram accounts. These measures were initially implemented following the violent storming of the US Capitol by his supporters in 2021.
The company said, “Former President Trump, as the nominee of the Republican Party, will no longer be subject to the heightened suspension penalties.”
The decision to suspend Trump’s accounts indefinitely was made a day after the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, where it was determined that he had praised individuals engaged in violence on social media.Although his accounts were reinstated in February 2023, they came with a warning of potential penalties for future violations. However, Meta has now decided to lift this additional restriction.
In a blog post, Meta explained their stance, saying, “In assessing our responsibility to allow political expression, we believe that the American people should be able to hear from the nominees for President on the same basis.” The company also emphasized that US presidential candidates are still required to adhere to the same Community Standards as all other Facebook and Instagram users, including policies aimed at preventing hate speech and incitement to violence.
Trump, who holds the distinction of being the first former president to be convicted of a crime, faced bans from other platforms such as Twitter and YouTube. While these restrictions were eventually lifted last year, Trump primarily communicates through his own social media platform, Truth Social. His Facebook profile, which boasts 34 million users, features messages originally shared on Truth Social, as well as invitations to rallies and campaign videos.
The company said, “Former President Trump, as the nominee of the Republican Party, will no longer be subject to the heightened suspension penalties.”
The decision to suspend Trump’s accounts indefinitely was made a day after the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, where it was determined that he had praised individuals engaged in violence on social media.Although his accounts were reinstated in February 2023, they came with a warning of potential penalties for future violations. However, Meta has now decided to lift this additional restriction.
In a blog post, Meta explained their stance, saying, “In assessing our responsibility to allow political expression, we believe that the American people should be able to hear from the nominees for President on the same basis.” The company also emphasized that US presidential candidates are still required to adhere to the same Community Standards as all other Facebook and Instagram users, including policies aimed at preventing hate speech and incitement to violence.
Trump, who holds the distinction of being the first former president to be convicted of a crime, faced bans from other platforms such as Twitter and YouTube. While these restrictions were eventually lifted last year, Trump primarily communicates through his own social media platform, Truth Social. His Facebook profile, which boasts 34 million users, features messages originally shared on Truth Social, as well as invitations to rallies and campaign videos.