Meta removes restrictions on Trump’s Instagram and Facebook accounts ahead of election

Donald Trump’s accounts on Facebook and Instagram will no longer be subjected to greater restrictions than the average user.

Meta’s president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, shared with Axios that in order to ensure parity in the 2024 presidential election, the former president’s accounts won’t face stricter penalties.

“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,” Clegg said in a statement. “In reaching this conclusion, we also considered that these penalties were a response to extreme and extraordinary circumstances, and have not had to be deployed.”

Following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Trump was kicked off Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. His accounts on Facebook and Instagram were reinstated in January 2023, but he faced greater consequences, such as account suspensions and advertising restrictions, if he violated the company’s rules.

However, since being reinstated, Meta has not had to impose any penalties on Trump’s account.

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Trump is the only person subjected to these harsher penalties, which can be applied to any public figure’s account during times of civil unrest.

Minor infractions, such as posting a person’s address without permission, would warrant Trump’s account to be suspended for two years. However, this possibly was concerning to Meta since it believes the public should be able to hear from a presidential candidate.