Meta announced on Friday that it is removing restrictions on the Facebook and Instagram accounts of US presidential candidate Donald Trump. These restrictions were put in place following the violent storming of the US Capitol in 2021 by his supporters.
According to Meta, “former President Trump, as the nominee of the Republican Party, will no longer be subject to the heightened suspension penalties.”
Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts were initially suspended indefinitely the day after the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, due to his endorsement of the violence on social media. Although they were reinstated in February 2023, there was a warning of potential penalties for future violations, which Meta has now lifted.
Meta explained in a blog post, “In considering our duty to allow political expression, we believe that the American people should hear from presidential nominees on equal terms.” It emphasized that all presidential candidates must adhere to the same Community Standards against hate speech and violence incitement on Facebook and Instagram.
Additionally, Trump had been banned from Twitter and YouTube for his actions. While these bans were lifted last year, Trump primarily communicates through his own platform, Truth Social.
His Facebook page, which has 34 million followers, features content from Truth Social, announcements for rallies, and videos from his campaign.
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