Schiff and White House criticize Meta for decision to let Trump return to Facebook, Instagram: ‘inexplicable’

Democratic Representative Adam Schiff and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse on Monday are pressing Meta for answers to the social media giant’s decision to reinstate former President Donald Trump on Facebook and Instagram, calling the move “inexplicable.”

Last week, Meta announced that it would end Trump’s suspension from its platforms, which began after the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.

In a blog post, Nick Clegg, president of international affairs at Meta, said Trump’s suspension would be lifted “in the coming weeks.”

But Schiff, Calif., and Whitehouse, M.D., criticize Meta for its decision, saying the former president should not be reinstated.

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“Based on Meta’s previous statements about standards allowing Trump to return to the platform, his account should not have been reinstated,” Schiff and Whitehouse wrote in a letter to Clegg on Monday, alleging that Trump “continued to post malicious campaign content on Truth Social.” . it would probably violate Facebook policy, and we have every reason to believe that he will bring back similar conspiratorial rhetoric to Facebook.”

They added, “How Facebook could have reinstated his account, given all the extra content on Truth Social, which would probably result in a whole new suspension if it was on your platform, is inexplicable.”

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Schiff and Whitehouse also asked Meta to talk about the company’s efforts to “maintain election integrity and prevent their platform from being used to spread conspiracy theories and election lies.”

Schiff and Whitehouse also asked Meta to talk about the company’s efforts to “maintain election integrity and prevent their platform from being used to spread conspiracy theories and election lies.”
(| Nikolay Tys/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

“[W]We believe that part of Meta’s commitment to election integrity should be to ensure that those who hold unfounded and dangerous narratives about the 2020 election are not allowed or encouraged to spread lies in any form,” they wrote.

“It’s not clear in this decision where Meta will draw the line ‘between content that is harmful and should be removed and content that, however obnoxious or inaccurate, is part of a vibrant life in a free society’ and we would really appreciate it.” for further clarification on this matter.”

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat from Rhode Island. Photographer: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The social media company made its first attempt to block Trump since the Jan. 6 riots at the US Capitol. The decision was upheld by the platform’s Board of Supervisors in May 2021, although the board asked Facebook to reconsider Trump’s then “indefinite” suspension and “choose an appropriate punishment.”

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In June 2021, Meta Platforms determined that it would suspend his Facebook and Instagram accounts for two years ending in January 2023, after which the company would reconsider the status of the former president.

“In the light of his [Trump’s] violations, he now faces increased penalties for repeat violations — penalties that will apply to other public figures whose accounts are reinstated following a civil unrest suspension in accordance with our updated protocol,” Clegg said in a blog post last week. week.

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Clegg acknowledged that “reasonable people” would have different opinions about Meta’s decision to allow Trump to return to their platforms.

“But the decision had to be made, so we tried to make it the best we could to be in line with our values ​​and the process we put in place in response to guidance from the Supervisory Board.”

Trump, reacting to the Meta’s decision last week, posted on his Truth Social a message: “FACEBOOK, which lost billions of dollars in value after ‘deplatforming’ your beloved President, me, just announced that they are reinstating my account.” .

“This should never again happen to a sitting president or anyone else who does not deserve retribution!” Trump said.