Meta has reportedly announced to end of the ban on Donald Trump’s accounts on Facebook and Instagram in the upcoming weeks. Accordingly, the former US President will be able to return to the Meta-owned social media platforms after a two-year suspension.
Nick Clegg, the president of global affairs at the social media giant, said the company wants the general public to know what their politicians say. Meta indefinitely suspended Donald Trump from Instagram and Facebook after the unpleasant incident of the Capitol riots two years ago.
According to Clegg, Donald Trump had praised people actively engaged in violence at the Capitol. The extraordinary circumstances made Meta take the unusual decision of suspending the then-US president’s account on Instagram and Facebook.
The social media giant reviewed whether or not to allow Donald Trump to return to Facebook and Instagram. The review results revealed that his social media accounts did not represent a risk to public safety. However, Donald Trump’s social media violations would cause him to face heightened consequences for future wrongdoings.
Suspension of Donald Trump’s Social Media Accounts
The Oversight Board at Meta set up a body to analyze moderation rulings. It said that Meta decided to restore Donald Trump’s accounts on its social media platforms, whereas the Oversight Board did not have to do with this decision.
However, the board had asked Meta to revisit the matter of Trump’s account suspension openly and transparently. It urged the social media giant to provide the Oversight Board with extra information related to the latest policies about public figures, allowing it to review their implementation.
Some analysts at HackPostMedia, a blog best in technology, speculate that republicans were after the social media platforms, pressing them to allow Donald Trump on Facebook and Instagram as he needs to start preparations for the US presidency next year.
Trump posted on Truth Social – a social media company owned by the former US President, saying Facebook lost billions after blocking people’s favorite president – Trump. Nobody should do such treatment to a sitting president or someone who does not deserve retribution. He stressed. Now the ball is in Trump’s court, and he would decide whether or not he should return to Facebook and Instagram.
Truth Social – Donald Trump’s Social Media
Donald Trump set up a social media platform known as Truth Social in 2021. It has five million users, which is a significantly less number than Meta’s social media accounts. Trump is legally responsible for posting first on the platform – six hours before other users, as per an exclusivity agreement with Social Truth.
The former US President could get sued if he posts on Twitter or Facebook. Analysts have warned Trump to be careful with his social media engagements. If he wanted to stop posting Truth Social or use other social media platforms, the medium would struggle to endure. He could overlook the exclusivity agreement and post content on other social media platforms, though it would lead him to legal problems.
The best way to return to Facebook and Instagram is that Donald Trump should wait until June when the agreement will end. Or else he could choose never to return to Meta-owned social media platforms he has criticized consistently.