Staff Reports
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, recently made the decision to allow former President Trump back onto the platforms after his post-January 6th indefinite suspension. This decision has caused a stir among anti-free speech leftists, particularly Representatives Adam Schiff and Sheldon Whitehouse, who have expressed their discontent in a letter to Meta.
Trump issues statement after Meta announces end of 2-year Facebook ban, allowing him to return to the platform https://t.co/ae4DCIGK2N
— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 26, 2023
In the letter, the duo expressed their concern that Trump’s continued posts on Truth Social would likely violate Facebook’s policies, and that they were unsure of where Meta would draw the line between content that is harmful and should be removed, and content that is part of the rough and tumble of life in a free society. They also urged Meta to commit to strong election misinformation policies year-round, as false information about voting and prior elections continues to spread on their platform.
The Representatives also reminded Meta of their initial statement when suspending Trump’s account, which said that if there was still a serious risk to public safety, the restriction would be extended for a set period of time. The Representatives argued that two years later, it was clear that Trump was still spreading the Big Lie and thus undermining democracy.
In response to the letter, Meta has put up new “guardrails” for Trump, but this has not appeased the Representatives. They are still calling for Meta to reverse their decision and keep Trump off the platform.
Despite being allowed back on both Facebook and Twitter, Trump has not posted on either platform yet. He has instead stuck to posting only on Truth Social for now, though that could change as the 2024 election cycle heats up.
The decision by Meta to allow former President Trump back onto their platforms has caused a great deal of controversy. While some are pleased with the decision, others are calling for Meta to reverse it and keep Trump off the platform. It remains to be seen how Trump will use the platforms in the future, but it is certain that his presence will continue to be a source of debate and discussion.
The preceding article is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Trending Politics
