Meta platforms Facebook and Instagram will end the two-year suspension of former US President Donald Trump’s accounts over the coming weeks, while also ensuring there are guardrails to prevent him from going astray.
In a blog post on Wednesday, Meta’s Nick Clegg, President, Global Affairs, said the social media platforms will “put new guardrails in place to deter repeat offenses”.
The move comes at an opportune time for Trump, who is planning to make another run for the White House in 2024.
Trump back on Facebook
In the blog, Meta said: “To assess whether the serious risk to public safety that existed in January 2021 has sufficiently receded, we have evaluated the current environment according to our Crisis Policy Protocol, which included looking at the conduct of the US 2022 midterm elections, and expert assessments on the current security environment.
“Our determination is that the risk has sufficiently receded and that we should therefore adhere to the two-year timeline we set out. As such, we will reinstate Mr Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts in the coming weeks. However, we are doing so with new guardrails in place to deter repeat offenses.”
Trump has 34 million followers on Facebook and 23 million on Instagram. His Twitter account was restored last year in November after Elon Musk took over the social media platform. Trump has not sent any tweets, saying he would prefer to use Truth Social, an app that he owns.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said about his reinstatement on Meta: “Such a thing should never again happen to a sitting President, or anybody else who is not deserving of retribution!”
“Like any other Facebook or Instagram user, Mr Trump is subject to our Community Standards. In light of his violations, he now also faces heightened penalties for repeat offenses — penalties which will apply to other public figures whose accounts are reinstated from suspensions related to civil unrest under our updated protocol,” Clegg added in the blog.
“In the event that Mr Trump posts further violating content, the content will be removed, and he will be suspended for between one month and two years, depending on the severity of the violation.
“Our updated protocol also addresses content that does not violate our Community Standards, but that contributes to the sort of risk that materialised on January 6, such as content that delegitimises an upcoming election or is related to QAnon. We may limit the distribution of such posts, and for repeated instances, may temporarily restrict access to our advertising tools. This step would mean that content would remain visible on Mr Trump’s account but would not be distributed in people’s Feeds, even if they follow Mr Trump.”
Follow us on
