Meta has stated that it will end its two-year suspension of Donald Trump's accounts on Facebook and Instagram. As a result, he will once again be able to access these platforms.
The prohibition will be lifted "in the next weeks," according to the social media giant.
Nick Clegg, president of worldwide affairs at Meta, stated in a statement that the public "should be allowed to hear what their politicians are saying."
After the Capitol riots of 2021, the then-president of the United States was permanently banned from Facebook and Instagram.
Mr. Clegg stated that Meta had acted in response to Mr. Trump's "support for persons engaging in violence at the Capitol."
Musk removes Trump's Twitter suspension Trump's social media platform launches
"The suspension was the result of an unusual judgement made under extraordinary conditions," he continued.
He stated that a review had determined that Mr. Trump's accounts no longer posed a significant threat to public safety.
But because of Mr. Trump's prior "transgressions," he would now be subject to harsher punishments for any future violations.
Meta's Oversight Board, a body it established to evaluate moderation decisions, stated that the decision to reinstate Mr. Trump on its platforms "stood solely with Meta - the board had no influence in the decision."
The board already informed Meta that Mr. Trump's suspension must be reconsidered.
It requested Meta to be honest and offer extra information regarding new regulations pertaining to public figures so that it could examine their implementation.
Truth As Mr. Trump prepares to run for president again next year, social Republicans have demanded that he be permitted to return to Facebook.
Mr. Trump responded on Wednesday by posting on his own social media platform, Truth Social, that Facebook had "lost billions" after banning "your favourite president, me."
"This should never happen again to a sitting president or anyone else who is not deserving of punishment," he added.
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Donald Trump must now make a decision, as analysed by James Clayton, a North American technology reporter.
Truth Social, which he started in 2021, has a small number of users compared to Facebook's three billion.
Truth Social may have as many as five million accounts, but it's likely that there are many less active users.
However, Mr. Trump has an exclusivity agreement with Truth Social, which requires him to post on the platform six hours before anyone else.
This means that if he writes on Facebook or Twitter, he risks being sued.
Analysts are worried that Truth Social would have a hard time growing if Mr. Trump stopped using it or posted information somewhere else.
He may just disregard the exclusivity clause and begin publishing stuff immediately.
However, this could expose him to legal issues.
Alternatively, he may simply wait until June, when the arrangement expires.
Or, he might never return to sites he has persistently criticised.
However, if he intends to run for the White House, it makes sense for him to be on Facebook, the world's largest social media network.
Whatever happens next, Mr. Trump is now squarely in control of the situation.
If he does decide to return, though, he must abide by Meta's regulations. If he disobeys the rules, the corporation has left the door open for a second suspension.
It means that Mr. Trump will have to restrain himself (to some measure) on Facebook, although he does not currently have to do so on Truth Social.
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Democrats and activist organisations were quick to criticise the restoration of Mr. Trump, expressing worry that he may use the platforms to repeat false claims that he won the 2020 election.
Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California, stated on Twitter that Trump "incited an insurrection." It is risky to restore his access to a social media platform where he may promote his lies and demagogy.
The president of the NAACP civil rights organisation, Derrick Johnson, told the Associated Press that he viewed the decision as a "terrible error" and a "classic example of putting profits before of people's safety."
"It is truly astounding that someone can spew hatred, feed conspiracies, and encourage a violent uprising at our nation's Capitol building, and Mark Zuckerberg still believes that is not enough to remove them off his platforms," he stated.
However, the American Civil Liberties Union, a non-profit that fights civil rights in the United States, tweeted that the ruling was the "correct one."
Twitter original tweet viewable here
Following the incident at the US Capitol on 6 January 2021, Twitter banned the former president for violating its rules against the celebration of violence.
Elon Musk, the company's new owner, announced in November that Mr. Trump's account ban had been reversed, following a survey in which users narrowly supported the move.
Mr. Trump has not yet returned to Twitter, despite stating previously, "I see no reason for it."
Source: BBC
