The company ‘Meta Platforms Inc’ said that it will restore the accounts of former US President Donald Trump’s social media platforms Facebook and Instagram. ‘Meta’ is the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.
Facebook suspended Trump’s account on January 7, 2021, following the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Parliament Complex (Capital Hill). Trump (76) had announced in November last year that he would present his claim in the 2024 presidential election.
Nick Clegg, META’s president of global affairs, said the suspension was an extraordinary decision made in extraordinary circumstances. He said that the public should know what the leaders are saying so that they can take a reasoned decision.
Clegg insisted that under its new newsworthy content policy, if ‘Meta’ felt that Trump had made a statement that could increase any potential harm, then such a ‘post’ may choose to ban them, but they will still be visible on their account.
Clegg said that we give people a chance to speak, even when what they say is unpleasant and factually incorrect. Democracy is like that and people should be able to have their say.
We believe there is a need to draw a line between what content is harmful and what should be removed, and content, no matter how offensive or wrong, is part of the ups and downs of life in a free society.
Significantly, Trump did not accept defeat in the presidential election held on 3 November 2020 and he made allegations of fraud in the election. Amidst these allegations of Trump, his alleged supporters had committed violence in the Parliament House complex on 6 January.
