Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced on Friday it would lift its restrictions on content posted by former US President Donald Trump. While the former US president’s social media accounts were unblocked 17 months ago, Meta had maintained limits on his ability to post.
RT
Sat, 13 Jul 2024
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump arrives for a campaign rally at Trump National Doral Miami, July 09, 2024. © AP / Rebecca Blackwell
The decision is aimed at allowing Americans to hear from all presidential election nominees, Meta said.
“Former President Trump, as the nominee of the Republican Party, will no longer be subject to the heightened suspension penalties”, the statement read.
Trump was booted from the platforms following the riot at the US Capitol in January 2021. Facebook’s parent company announced in January 2023 that it would reinstate Trump’s accounts but that he faced “heightened penalties for repeat offenses” as a way to “deter” a repeat of previous behavior.
Meta’s president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, wrote in a blog post on Friday:
“American people should be able to hear from the nominees for President on the same basis.”
Joe Biden’s reelection campaign has condemned Meta’s move.
Biden campaign spokesperson Charles Lutvak told The Hill.
“Restoring his access is like handing your car keys to someone you know will drive your car into a crowd and off a cliff. Without question, it is a direct attack on our safety and our democracy.”
Lutvak slammed the decision, claiming it will allow Trump to reach Americans with “fundamentally undemocratic, un-American misinformation.”
Martin comments: “Meta claimed the penalties were imposed in response to “extreme and extraordinary circumstances.” and it appears the lifting of restrictions pre-empted another set of extreme and extraordinary circumstances, like the attempted assassination that will only serve to bring Trump even more time under the spotlight. It appears to me that these social media platforms can see inevitability looming. How quickly they jump sides eh?
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