Meta has announced the lifting of restrictions on former US President Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. Following the violent storming of the US Capitol by his supporters in 2021, Trump’s accounts were indefinitely suspended due to his social media posts praising the violence. In February 2023, his accounts were reinstated with penalties for future breaches.
However, Meta has now removed these additional restrictions, stating that as the Republican Party nominee, Trump will no longer face heightened suspension penalties. The platform believes in allowing political expression, especially from presidential nominees, while maintaining community standards to prevent hate speech and incitement to violence.
Despite facing bans on other platforms like X and YouTube, Trump now primarily communicates through his social media platform, Truth Social. With 34 million followers on Facebook, he shares content from Truth Social, invites to rallies, and campaign videos. This move by Meta signifies a shift in approach towards allowing political figures to engage with the public on social media.