Donald Trump Returns to Facebook and Instagram
Donald Trump's ban from Facebook and Instagram has been lifted after more than two years, causing a stir among supporters and critics alike.
Timeline
January 6, 2021: Capitol riots take place in Washington D.C., and Trump praises the people who engaged in violence.
Shortly after the riots: Facebook and Instagram suspend Trump's accounts indefinitely due to his praise for the violence at the Capitol.
May 2021: Facebook's Oversight Board upholds Trump's suspension but criticizes the indefinite nature of the suspension.
June 2021: Facebook announces that Trump's suspension will be revised to a two-year suspension.
Two weeks ago (as of the time of this writing): Meta (formerly Facebook) announces that Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts have been restored.
The restoration of Trump's accounts is based on a review that found that his accounts no longer pose a serious risk to public safety.
If Trump violates the platform's rules again, he may be removed for one to two years.
Posts in which Trump baselessly challenges the outcome of the 2020 US presidential election remain up on both platforms.
As of now, Trump has 34 million followers on Facebook and over 23 million on Instagram.
November 2022: Trump announces he will be running for president again in 2024.
How do you feel about the balance between free speech and public safety on social media platforms?
Thanks for reading!
Avishka Laknath