Former President Donald Trump’s restrictions on Facebook and Instagram accounts, that was in place for 17 months, are being lifted, Meta announced it earlier today. The decision comes ahead of the Republican National Convention starting on Monday in Milwaukee, where Trump is expected to be the Republican presidential nominee.
Meta’s president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, explained in a blog post that the restrictions are being removed to allow the American people to hear from the presidential nominees on an equal basis. Trump’s accounts were initially suspended indefinitely following the Capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021, as his posts were believed to have encouraged the violence. In June 2021, Meta (formerly known as Facebook) imposed a two-year suspension on Trump’s accounts, which was lifted in February 2023 with the condition of “heightened penalties for repeat offenses.”
However, today, Meta decided to lift the threat of these penalties, considering them a response to extreme circumstances that have not been necessary. Clegg emphasized that all U.S. Presidential candidates must adhere to the same Community Standards as other Facebook and Instagram users, including rules against hate speech and incitement to violence.
Trump, who has a combined 59 million followers on Facebook and Instagram, also had his Twitter account suspended in January 2021, reinstated in November 2022 by new owner Elon Musk after conducting a poll among users.
