Meta says it will soon restore former US president Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, two years after he was deplatformed over his online behaviour during the January 6 Capitol attack.
Meta announced the decision in a blog post published on Wednesday.
“Two years ago, we took action in what were extreme and highly unusual circumstances,” says Meta. “We indefinitely suspended then-US President Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts following his praise for people engaged in violence at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.”
The decision was referred to the Oversight Board — the company’s “independent” expert body that advises on disputed content moderation cases.
“The Board upheld the decision but criticized the open-ended nature of the suspension and the lack of clear criteria for when and whether suspended accounts will be restored, directing us to review the matter to determine a more proportionate response,” adds Meta.
Trump has 34 million followers on Facebook and 23 million on Instagram, and he actively engaged with his supporters on social media for political outreach before being indefinitely suspended. The massive following on Meta platforms could significantly help Trump with his third presidential campaign in 2024.
Earlier in November, Trump was reinstated on Twitter by new owner Elon Musk who, prior to his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, had promised to “promote free speech” on the platform. A number of other prominent names have been allowed back as well, including controversial media personality Andrew Tate and Bollywood entertainer Kangana Rananut, who was deplatformed for repeatedly engaging in hateful conduct.
The former president, however, has not tweeted from his reinstated account, which boasts nearly 88 million followers.
Online safety advocates have expressed deep concern over Meta’s decision, citing the company’s lenient approach towards influential politicians, celebrities and other known figures. Some experts have appreciated the decision, however, arguing the public should have access to direct communication from political candidates.
Trump has been using his own social media platform, Truth Social, to communicate with his followers. It has yet to be seen how the former president makes a comeback on Facebook and Instagram after snubbing Twitter.
