Meta announced that it would roll back certain restrictions which were imposed earlier on former U.S. President Donald Trump- for using Facebook and Instagram. The decision was made recently to balance political expression and maintain community standards.
Background of suspension and reinstatement
Following the events of January 6 (2021), when Meta indefinitely suspended Trump's accounts due to his comments which were praising the individuals involved in storming the U.S. Capitol.
In early 2023, Meta reinstated his accounts under the condition that his posts would be closely monitored for any violations that could lead to further suspensions ranging from one month to two years.
Changes in monitoring
Meta has now decided to lift the additional monitoring on Trump's accounts, which means that Trump is currently a presidential nominee who is running against incumbent President Joe Biden, and he will no longer face the heightened scrutiny which was previously imposed by Meta.
Meta's statement
In an updated blog post, Meta clarified its stance, stating, "In assessing our responsibility to allow political expression, we believe that the American people should be able to hear from the nominees for president on the same basis."
Criticism and social media experts' views
Social media experts have consistently criticized Meta and other platforms for their handling of political content, especially from political candidates. The decision to reinstate Trump's accounts and now ease monitoring has sparked renewed debate about the responsibilities of social media platforms in moderating political discourse.
Trump's Social Media presence and it’s impact
Apart from Meta, Trump was also banned from Twitter in 2021. The decision was made after Elon Musk acquired X (formerly known as Twitter) in 2022, where he promptly reinstated Trump's account.
However, Trump has only made one post since then, and it has indicated a relatively limited engagement on the platform.
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