In a recent announcement, YouTube has confirmed that it will be lifting the suspension on former President Donald Trump’s YouTube channel. This follows a restriction placed on the account in the wake of the January 2021 U.S. Capitol building riot, in line with similar actions taken by other major social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. At the time, YouTube cited concerns that Trump’s accounts could potentially be used to incite further violence.
The Video-Content platform claims, “We carefully evaluated the continued risk of real-world violence, while balancing the chance for voters to hear equally from major national candidates in the run up to an election.
The reactivated account currently boasts a sizable following of 2.64 million subscribers and a substantial library of over four thousand videos. YouTube’s recent decision regarding the account could potentially carry significant consequences, particularly if Trump’s campaign gains the ability to advertise on the platform.
Notably, in the pivotal year of 2020, the campaign allocated a staggering sum of over $10 million towards digital advertising efforts within key states.
After Last year November, the CEO of Twitter, Elon Musk, conducted a day-long poll to determine the fate of former President Trump’s account. Following the poll, in which 51.8% of participants voted in favour of reinstatement, the account was successfully restored.
Despite this development, the former president has yet to utilize the newly reinstated account. Similarly, Facebook also lifted its ban on Trump’s account, but he has remained true to his word and refrained from posting on the platform.
Following his defeat in the 2020 Presidential election, the former head of state established his own media conglomerate, the Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG). The company positions itself as a bulwark against the phenomena of “cancel culture” and as a counterforce to the influence of dominant tech corporations. The flagship offering of the TMTG, a social media application dubbed Truth Social, was released to the public 13 months ago.
The intersection of technology and politics has never been more important than in the current era of social media dominance. Platforms like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook have revolutionized political communication, allowing candidates to reach and engage with voters in new and innovative ways. However, as demonstrated by the suspension of Donald Trump’s social media accounts following the Capitol building riot, there are also significant risks associated with the misuse of these platforms.
In my opinion, technology and media can be incredibly powerful tools for political success, but only if used responsibly and ethically. Candidates who understand the power of social media and leverage it to build genuine connections with their supporters are likely to see the most success. However, it’s important to remember that social media is just one piece of the puzzle. Effective communication also requires a strong message, strategic messaging, and a clear understanding of the issues that matter most to voters.
Furthermore, as we have seen with the rise of alternative platforms like Truth Social, the traditional tech giants are not the only players in the game. The rapid growth of new media companies underscores the importance of diversification in the media landscape, which can be leveraged to create more balanced, nuanced coverage of political events.
