Meta has eased the extra restrictions Donald Trump faces on its Facebook and Instagram platforms, saying it has a responsibility to ensure Americans are able to hear from nominees for the US presidency.
Mr Trump was banned from Meta’s platforms in early 2021, when he falsely claimed in speeches and social media posts that the US election was rigged.
His accounts were reinstated in 2023, but he faced tougher penalties if he broke the rules again.
Now those restrictions will be rolled back.
The move comes five months out from the US federal election, with Mr Trump set to be formally named as the Republican party’s nominee next week.
Why was Donald Trump banned from Facebook?
He was banned after his supporters rioted in Washington DC during a joint session of Congress formalising rival Joe Biden’s election victory.
Here’s how Meta described it:
“We indefinitely suspended then-US President Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts following his praise for people engaged in violence at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.”
He was also banned from X, which was then called Twitter.
In response, Mr Trump launched a social media platform he called Truth Social in February 2022.
His accounts have since been reinstated on X and on Meta platforms Facebook and Instagram.
Elon Musk allowed Mr Trump to return to X in November 2022, shortly after buying the platform.
Meta reinstated him a few months later in March 2023.
But when it allowed him back on its platforms, Meta said it was doing so with “new guardrails to deter repeat offences”.
What restrictions were on Trump’s Meta accounts?
Typically, when someone is re-instated after an offence, repeat offences might see them barred from their accounts for somewhere between one and 30 days.
But if Mr Trump broke the rules again, he would have copped harsher penalties.
Here’s what Meta says on its policy page:
“When a public figure’s restriction has expired and they regain access to Facebook or Instagram, they will be subject to heightened penalties to deter repeat offences.
“While most new violations will trigger a one-month restriction from creating any content, more serious violations will merit a further two-year restriction.
“As always, we may also disable any account that persistently posts violating content, despite repeated warnings and restrictions.”
Mr Trump has been active on Facebook and Instagram, however he has only posted on X once since being reinstated.
Why is Meta loosening its restrictions on Trump?
Meta says it has a responsibility to allow people to hear from the presidential nominees in the lead-up to the election.
Here’s what Meta wrote in a blog post:
“With the party conventions taking place shortly, including the Republican convention next week, the candidates for President of the United States will soon be formally nominated.
“In assessing our responsibility to allow political expression, we believe that the American people should be able to hear from the nominees for President on the same basis.
“As a result, former President Trump, as the nominee of the Republican Party, will no longer be subject to the heightened suspension penalties.”
And, essentially, Meta he’d not broken these rules since being reinstated:
” … these penalties were a response to extreme and extraordinary circumstances, and have not had to be deployed.”
Why now?
Because Mr Trump is about to be formally endorsed as the Republican party’s nominee for the upcoming federal election.
In Australia, the political parties choose their leaders internally, but the US process is much more of a public spectacle.
Candidates within the same party compete with one another to be named as their party’s pick.
And the parties typically don’t formally endorse their nominees until a few months before the election.
In previous years there’s been much more of a competition between potential candidates but, because Mr Trump has such a strong supporter base, it’s been almost certain he’ll be the Republican candidate.
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When is the US presidential election?
Americans will vote for their next president on Tuesday, November 5.
How old is Donald Trump?
Donald Trump is 78 years old.
That’s three years younger than Democratic US President Joe Biden.
How old is Joe Biden?
Joe Biden is 81 years old.
He’ll turn 82 a fortnight after the vote.
