Donald Trump has so far been banned from posting on Facebook, the company's independent Content Oversight Board ruled, in his favorite ways to deport the former US president from the largest social network and reach supporters and goal opponents Left them without one.
The board's decision is binding, but has also recommended that Facebook review its ban within six months. Trump's ban on Twitter Inc.
Facebook said in a blog post, "As we said in January, we believe our decision was necessary and correct, and we are delighted that the board has acknowledged that the unprecedented circumstances justified the extraordinary measure we took is."
It became a deadly effort for President Joe Biden to stop counting Electoral College votes, including on January 6 in the U.S. Facebook Inc. suspended Trump's account after encouraging his supporters to march on the Capitol. The ban was originally temporary, but was changed to indefinite suspension the following day.
The Facebook Oversight Board argued that Trump's repeated claims of voter fraud created an environment "where a serious threat of violence was possible."
"At the time of Mr. Trump's posts, there was a clear, immediate risk of harm and his words of support for those involved in the riots gave legitimacy to his violent actions," the board wrote. "As president, Mr. Trump's influence was at a high level."
Facebook should operate under its current rules and either reinstate Trump's account, permanently ban him, or impose a time limit on his suspension, oversight board co-chairman, Michael McConnell, told reporters Said on a call. The board recommended that Facebook review its conduct within six months and make a clear decision.
McConnell said Facebook's own policies do not authorize indefinite suspension, and users should not be left in a "state of uncertainty".
Trump did not immediately react to the verdict, but House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy tweeted that Facebook is more interested in acting like "a Democratic" super PAC "a platform for free speech and open debate," which they see Are expressing concern over that. As a liberal bias coming from Silicon Valley.
Facebook had asked the oversight board, an independent group of academics, lawyers and others, to suspend Trump and review its decision to determine whether it should be overturned. The company had previously committed to acting on the recommendation of the board.
But the board ruled that even though Facebook had justified the suspension of Trump's account, it was not appropriate for Facebook to impose an "indefinite" suspension, given the seriousness of the breach with its Jan 6 posts before the rebellion. Was.
"It is not permissible for Facebook to keep any platform closed for undefined periods when there is no criteria for whether an account will be reinstated or not," the board said.
Within six months of this decision, the board suggested that Facebook re-examine the arbitrary fines imposed on January 7 and set the appropriate penalty. The company said that the company should balance penalties against the possibility of future losses and that it should be in line with Facebook's own rules.
"The board attempted to evade its responsibilities by imposing vague, standard fines and then resolving the matter," the board said.
The decision comes at a time when social-media platforms are facing increasing scrutiny for dealing with political content and divestment, which has prompted lawmakers on both sides to take aim at a prized liability shield that has been tainted by content Users protect tech giants from posted lawsuits.
McCarthy said that if Republicans take control of the House in the 2022 midterm elections, they will "put a big technical force on our speech."
The remedy - just 24 words, known as section 280 - now faces its biggest as it was incorporated into the Communications Decision Act of 1949. To amend it increased in the months before the November election and intensified after a fatal attack on Congress. By Trump loyalists.
For more: Why 230 Section 230 'Fights From Online Speech' Name: QuickTech
Trump was also banned on Twitter in January, with the company saying the move is permanent. They were also blocked on Snapchat, YouTube and other networks on Twitch after the capital riots.
Losing access to social media is a setback for Trump politically - notably from Twitter, which was his favorite means of communicating and where he had 89 million followers - as it meant that he would be in office weeks after he stepped down in January. I was largely silent. 20.
A return to social media would have given Trump a wider platform as he favored state and local candidates who were loyal to him, or were supporting him to defeat the Republicans who voted to impeach him. Trump is also seizing the possibility that he may run for the presidency again in 2024.
Trump said in an April 29 interview on Fox Business that he was "100%" considering re-running in 2024, and said that "very, very strongly — ten times — to do that everyone would give me Wants to do. " He also stated on the Don Bongino Show podcast released on April 28 that he would announce his decision "most accurately" after the 2022 midterm election.
In the meantime, Trump is raising money for his political campaign through political leadership committee Action America and has already raised more than $ 85 million, a Trump adviser said.
The former president has also said that he wants to create his own social-media platform that would prevent him from being removed or censored but would not provide any details.
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