Donald Trump’s Facebook account suspended for two years
Donald Trump’s Facebook account will be suspended for two years, the social network announced.
The former US president was stranded on the platform indefinitely following violent clashes on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, which Mr. Trump was accused of instigating.
The ban was confirmed by the social network’s supervisory board last month – but the group has expressed concerns about the indefinite duration of the measure.
In a blog post on Friday, Sir Nick Clegg, Facebook vice president of global affairs and communications, said: “Given the gravity of the circumstances which led to Mr. Trump’s suspension, we believe his actions were a serious violation of our rules which deserve the highest penalty available under the new enforcement protocols.
“We are suspending his accounts for two years, from the date of the initial suspension on January 7 of this year.”
In response to the Supervisory Board, Trump suspended for two years; Will only be restored if conditions permit https://t.co/0n1pWwv9kM
– Facebook press room (@fbnewsroom) June 4, 2021
Mr. Trump called the ban an “insult” and, in a statement, added that Facebook “should not be allowed to get away with this censorship and silence.”
He added: “In the end, we will win. Our country can no longer endure this abuse!
Sir Nick said the decision to impose a two-year sanction had deemed it necessary that it be “significant enough to deter Mr. Trump and others from committing such serious violations in the future.”
He added that the ban could be extended at the end of the two years if it was determined that there was still a “serious risk to public safety”.
“When the suspension is finally lifted, there will be a strict set of rapidly escalating sanctions that will be triggered if Mr. Trump commits further violations in the future, up to and including the permanent removal of his pages and accounts.” , did he declare.
Videos shared on the 74-year-old’s social accounts called those who stormed the Capitol as “patriots” and said: “We love you.”
The incident left five people dead.
Facebook’s supervisory board concluded that two of Mr. Trump’s posts “seriously violated” his community standards, but said it was “not appropriate” for the social network to impose “the indeterminate, non-standard sentence of suspension indefinite “.