After years of censoring President Trump and his supporters, Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram has announced it will be lifting the restrictions on Trump’s accounts on its platforms, in the name of equal “political expression” ahead of the RNC.
Meta said in a statement:
“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, “As a result, former President Trump, as the nominee of the Republican Party, will no longer be subject to the heightened suspension penalties.”
JUST IN: Meta, $META, removes Donald Trump Facebook and Instagram account restrictions ahead of 2024 election
— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) July 12, 2024
The Silicon Valley giant, known for its censorship of conservatives and anti-establishment content, restored Trump’s access to its platforms in 2023 but still maintained various restrictions on his accounts.
The company also acknowledged that since his account was reinstated in 2023, there was never an instance when those enhanced penalties needed to be enforced. However, it is unclear whether Trump will take advantage of Meta’s leniency, as he continues to primarily post on his Truth Social platform.
Trump was banned from the platform in January 2021 following the January 6th protests against the stolen 2020 election. Twitter and Google followed suit, although he has since been reinstated on Twitter following Elon Musk’s takeover of the company.
Trump’s return to Facebook and Instagram gives him direct channels to reach millions of followers. During his absence from these platforms, Trump relied on alternative methods, including launching his own social media platform, to stay connected with his base.
