(RepublicanPress.org) – Former President Donald Trump didn’t hold back when it came to expressing his disdain for Big Tech companies’ handling of certain kinds of speech on their platforms. He frequently spoke about eliminating Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which granted certain immunities to online technology companies. In late May 2020, he issued an executive order to prevent censorship by social media companies. Six months later, Meta banned Trump from its Facebook and Instagram platforms in response to the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol Building. Trump appealed that decision — to no avail. However, Meta officials recently reinstated both accounts.
Former President Donald Trumps' Facebook and Instagram accounts were active again as of Thursday, after his more than two-year suspension following the Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol. https://t.co/Ez9aujRIlG
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 9, 2023
In late January, Meta Platforms President of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg, announced the company was ending the years-long suspension of Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts “in the coming weeks.” He wrote that “as a general rule,” Meta doesn’t want to deter “open, public and democratic debate” on any of its platforms, particularly in regard to “elections.”
After presenting a brief history of the tech company’s decision to suspend Trump’s accounts, Clegg got to the heart of the matter. Noting that “Mr. Trump is subject to [Meta’s] Community Standards,” he wrote that Meta would impose “new guardrails” on the former president’s accounts “to deter repeat offenses.”
According to Clegg, those guardrails include heightened penalties for repeat offenses, not only for Trump but for all public figures who had their accounts suspended for actions related to “civil unrest” under its recently revised protocols.
Facebook is right to readmit Trump. Unfortunately, their statement is one of the most disastrous pieces of gobbledygook committed to writing in recent history https://t.co/6wMzC4RxpW
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) January 25, 2023
Turning his attention back to Trump, Clegg said repeat offenses by his accounts would result in new suspensions ranging from one month in duration to two years, depending on the nature of the infractions.
Then, on February 9, news media outlets reported that officials had reactivated Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. CBS News reached out to Meta, but the company indicated that it wouldn’t release any statements regarding the situation.
Trump’s social media accounts played a key role in his messaging efforts in both his presidential campaigns and during his time in office. Likewise, with his millions of followers, they proved vital to his fundraising efforts.
The people have spoken.
Trump will be reinstated.
Vox Populi, Vox Dei. https://t.co/jmkhFuyfkv
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 20, 2022
It remains to be seen if or when the former president starts using either account. Elon Musk reinstated Trump’s Twitter account in November 2022. However, so far, he has limited his online engagement to his Truth Social account. Could that change with the 2024 presidential campaign getting ready to heat up?
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