The platforms Facebook and Instagram want to decide “quickly” about lifting their ban on former US President Donald Trump. Apparently the Republican politician needs to be reinstated. That is what the vice president of the Facebook parent company Meta, Nick Clegg, indicated on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The decision will be announced shortly.
Clegg pointed out that Trump was only suspended for two years. The internet company had suspended Trump after he voiced his views on the January 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol and the ensuing debate over the president-elect’s role in the riot.
“Allow controversial discussions”
Clegg argued in Davos that Meta has a duty to allow controversial discussions on its platforms as well. The Silicon Valley group originally announced the decision for January 7.
Clegg is officially responsible for the decision at Meta. A regulator from the group had pushed for the bloc to be restricted in 2021. The former Liberal Democrat deputy prime minister is Meta’s chief lobbyist. Representatives from the US Democrats had specifically asked Meta in January to extend Trump’s ban.
Is Trump’s official return to major platforms just around the corner?
In November, shortly after billionaire Elon Musk took over Twitter, the short message service unblocked the former US president. The whole thing was preceded by a 24-hour vote in which Musk put the unlock up for grabs. At the time, more than 15 million users voted, nearly 52 percent voting to reinstate Trump’s account.
Trump later rejected a return to the social network. He wants to stay on his own network, Truth Social, and communicate with his followers from there.
The question is whether Trump will maintain this attitude in the future: his former reach on Twitter and Facebook is enormous and many times greater than the nearly 4.6 million followers on Truth Social.
Should he become the Republican front-runner in the 2024 US election, his return to the largest and most popular social media platforms is only a matter of time.
(dpa/arg)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
