Donald Trump may be running for president of the United States, but he still can’t use Facebook.
The social media platform has no plans to reinstate Trump’s account following the former president’s announcement that he will seek a second term in the White House, the company confirmed Wednesday. Trump was kicked out of Facebook following the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
However, Trump may not have to wait long to visit the site again. His Facebook suspension will be reviewed again in January, two years after it was first imposed.
One change will be immediate: As a candidate, Trump will no longer be subject to Facebook’s authenticity checks. That’s because according to Facebook’s rules, comments by elected officials and candidates for office are not checked for authenticity on their website. The Associated Press participates in Facebook’s independent fact-checking program.
Throughout his presidency, Trump’s use of social media has posed a significant challenge to major social media platforms trying to balance the public’s need to hear from leaders. their elected leaders with concerns about misinformation, harassment, and incitement to violence.
After the January 6 riots, Trump also removed Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram, which are owned by Facebook parent company Meta. Trump’s ability to post videos to his YouTube channel has been suspended.
YouTube spokesperson Ivy Choi said Wednesday that the company has no plans to lift the suspension.
Twitter’s new owner, Elon Musk, said he disagrees with the platform’s decision to ban Trump after the January 6 attacks. Musk said there will be no announcement about reinstated users. banned until the content moderators review the matter
Twitter did not respond to questions about whether Trump’s candidacy influenced the decision. Since the suspension, Trump has started his own social media platform, TruthSocial, and said he has no plans to rejoin Twitter if allowed.
Heidi Beirich, founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism and a member of the Real Facebook Oversight Board, a group that has criticized Meta’s response to extremist content, said platforms The platform would make sense if they extended the restrictions on Trump or made them permanent. and misinformation.
“The big issue is treating candidates as if they belong to a special group and deserve special treatment,” says Beirich. “If you have a set of rules, it applies to everyone. Decisions shouldn’t be a struggle.”
Facebook initially suspended Trump’s account for 24 hours on January 6 after he praised rioters who stormed the Capitol. Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced an indefinite suspension on January 7, adding that “it’s risky to allow the President to continue using our services during this time.” This is simply too big.”
The company’s quasi-independent oversight board supported the ban but directed Facebook to set a time limit. The ban will now expire on January 7, 2023.
