Former U.S. President Donald Trump has been suspended from Meta social media platforms since stirring up a mob to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Two years on, Meta Platforms Inc. is likely to delay its decision on whether to instate Trump on Facebook and Instagram.
According to the Financial Times, sources close to Meta say the company has created a “working group” of communications, public policy, and moderation staff. It now not expected to be a decision made about reinstating Trump on Facebook until later this month.
Meta’s President of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg, does not confirm the delay but has previously said private companies like Meta “should tread with great thoughtfulness when seeking to, basically, silence political voices.”
A decision was originally scheduled for Jan. 7, 2023, but the working group means Meta is likely going to take longer.
Controversy
Meta is facing political pressure to keep Trump off Facebook. Democratic lawmakers have said the company should not reinstate the former president, who was also banned from Twitter.
Since those bans, Trump has been using his own Truth Social platforms. He uses the online network to communicate with his supporters ahead of his run for the presidency in 2024. On the platform, Trump sticks to his line that the 2020 election was fixed and continues to spread misinformation
If Facebook reopens his account, it is likely to receive plenty of pushback.
It is worth noting Trump is already back on Twitter. Following his takeover of the company, Elon Musk reinstated Trump’s account. However, the business mogul-turned-politician has not yet made any new tweets.
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