#Socialites, get a load of this: Meta recently announced that it is lifting all penalties and restrictions previously imposed on former President Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts as the 2024 U.S. presidential election looms closer.
This latest decision by Meta is definitely a significant shift from its initial stance taken in 2021 following the events of the Jan. 6 insurrection in the nation’s capital.
As we previously reported, at that time, Meta had suspended Trump’s accounts for a two-year period, citing concerns that his content, including praise for the Capitol rioters, could contribute to inciting further violence. Following that move, Trump went ahead and launched “Truth Social.” It’s modeled heavily after Twitter; users are able to make posts (“Truths”, similar to tweets) and share other users’ posts (“ReTruths”, similar to retweets).
While it didn’t seem like there was any hope of Trump’s return to social platforms, in January of 2023, Meta revealed its plan to reinstate Trump on the social media platform, with the former president regaining access to his accounts the subsequent month.
However, Trump remained under lingering restrictions and penalties that could have resulted in extended suspensions for any violations of Meta’s community guidelines.
Now, should Trump breach Meta’s guidelines in the future, he will face the prospect of a shorter suspension lasting only a few days, rather than the extended suspensions under the previous enforcement regime. The move by Meta carries significant weight as the political landscape gears up for the 2024 presidential race.
Socialites, what are your thoughts on this? Sound off in the comment box below!