Meta has said it is reinstating Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, following a two-year ban for his online behaviour during the January 6th insurrection. Meta’s president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, explained the decision in a blogpost on Wednesday, saying that the former US president would be allowed to return to the platforms “in coming weeks” but “with new guardrails in place to deter repeat offences.”
Concerns were raised by the Anti-Defamation League, the NAACP, Free Press, Media Matters, and others about Facebook’s ability to prevent future attacks on the democratic process and to stem the spread of false information.
“Make no mistake – by allowing Donald Trump back on its platforms, Meta is refuelling Trump’s misinformation and extremism engine,” said Angelo Carusone, president and CEO of media watchdog Media Matters for America.
“When Trump is given a platform, it ratchets up the temperature on a landscape that is already simmering – one that will put us on a path to increased violence.”
Trump was kicked off Meta platforms following the Capitol riots on the 6th of January 2021. During the riots, he made unproven claims that the election had been stolen, praised protesters who were getting more violent, and criticised former vice-president Mike Pence while the crowd threatened his life.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky, a Democrat from Illinois, spoke concerning Meta’s decision. In a tweet, she commented “This is a dangerous decision. Reinstating former President Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts will only fan the flames of hatred and division that led to an insurrection.”
Clegg said in a statement, “The public should be able to hear what their politicians are saying – the good, the bad, and the ugly – so that they can make informed choices at the ballot box.” This was in reference to the decision to allow Trump to return.
“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.”
Whether or not the former president will resume posting content on Facebook or/and Instagram is uncertain, however his 2024 campaign hinted at a desire to do so in a letter to Meta petitioning the company to restore his access to Facebook. “We believe that the ban on President Trump’s account on Facebook has dramatically distorted and inhibited the public discourse,” the letter said.
Given Trump’s renewed bid for the US presidency, this decision is likely to have an impact on how other social media companies handle the delicate balancing act between free speech and content moderation in regards to world leaders and other newsworthy individuals.
Advocates for online safety have expressed concern that Trump’s return will lead to an increase in false information and actual physical violence. Even after being banned from all sites owned by Meta, the former president has persisted in spreading unsubstantiated conspiracy theories, primarily on his own network, Truth Social.
Despite widespread anticipation, it was met with strong criticism from those who support civil rights. According to Laura Murphy, an attorney who oversaw a two-year audit of Facebook set to conclude in 2020, “Facebook has policies but they under-enforce them.” “I worry about Facebook’s capacity to understand the real world harm that Trump poses,” she said.
