Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts to be restored

Facebook parent company, Meta, announced on Wednesday that it would restore former US President Donald Trump's accounts on its platforms "in the coming weeks" after a two-year ban. 

The company said it was adding "new guardrails" to ensure there are no "repeat offenders" who break its rules.

Nick Clegg, Meta's president of global affairs, wrote in a blog post on Wednesday, "In the event that Mr. Trump posts further violating content, the content will be removed and he will be suspended for between one month and two years, depending on the severity of the violation."

Why was Trump banned?

Shortly after his supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, Trump's accounts were banned or suspended by social media platforms for violating their rules.

At the time, Twitter said two of his tweets violated the company's policies against what it calls the glorification of violence. 

Facebook, Instagram and YouTube suspended Trump's accounts amid fears that he might use social media to incite more unrest.

Meta's move came after Twitter reinstated the former president's account last November. CEO Elon Musk had posted a poll asking the social media platform should allow Trump back, and his account reappeared after the narrow vote.

Trump reacts

In a post on his own social media network Truth Social, Trump said such a ban "should never again happen to a sitting President." 

Trump's Facebook ban, which came into effect a day after the deadly insurrection, was the first time the company ever blocked the account of a sitting head of state for violating its content rules.

The restoration of his social media accounts comes as Trump, who is facing criminal probes by the Justice Department, seeks another run for the White House in 2024. Facebook and Instagram have been key platforms for online political outreach and fundraising. 

Trump said after he was reinstated on Twitter that he was in talks with Meta about returning.

fb/ar (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)