It’s often said that Friday evening is where you get exciting news because more companies think the people who publish the news are in the pub. Well, considering Nigeria has just banned Twitter and Facebook has confirmed Donald Trump will be banned for two years, there might just be some truth to it.
Facebook Bans Trump
Earlier today, Facebook announced that they would no longer turn a blind eye to politicians posting deceptive or abusive content simply because these individuals were considered “newsworthy”.
Now, the social media giant has confirmed that Donald Trump will serve a two-year ban from the platform. This comes as a result of a review conducted by Facebook into the former-US President’s “following his praise for people engaged in violence at the Capitol” earlier this year”.
The ban will apply to Trump’s Facebook and Instagram profiles.
New Penalties For Public Figures
Facebook has also created a new framework for punishing the accounts of public figures, learning from the influence these accounts have.
In a statement on the Facebook Newsroom website, the company said:
At the end of this period, we will look to experts to assess whether the risk to public safety has receded. We will evaluate external factors, including instances of violence, restrictions on peaceful assembly and other markers of civil unrest. If we determine that there is still a serious risk to public safety, we will extend the restriction for a set period of time and continue to re-evaluate until that risk has receded.
When the suspension is eventually lifted, there will be a strict set of rapidly escalating sanctions that will be triggered if Mr. Trump commits further violations in future, up to and including permanent removal of his pages and accounts.
Impact Of Facebook Ban On Trump
The ban is backdated from January of this year which means the former President’s accounts will be reinstated from January 2023, preventing Trump from using these platforms to communicate with his followers using Facebook or Instagram until after the 2022 U.S. mid-term elections.
It’s also important to note that this ban means Trump will regain access to these audiences in time for a potential run in the next presidential campaign.
Facebook stated that at the end of the ban, they “will look to experts to assess whether the risk to public safety has receded. We will evaluate external factors, including instances of violence, restrictions on peaceful assembly and other markers of civil unrest. If we determine that there is still a serious risk to public safety, we will extend the restriction for a set period of time and continue to re-evaluate until that risk has receded”.
