Former President Donald Trump called Facebook and other social media companies a “total disgrace” after Facebook’s Oversight Board upheld Trump’s ban.
“What Facebook, Twitter, and Google have done is a total disgrace and an embarrassment to our Country,” said Trump. “Free Speech has been taken away from the President of the United States because the Radical Left Lunatics are afraid of the truth, but the truth will come out anyway, bigger and stronger than ever before. The People of our Country will not stand for it! These corrupt social media companies must pay a political price, and must never again be allowed to destroy and decimate our Electoral Process.”
Facebool’s Oversight Board ruled that Trump would remain locked out from his accounts, but Facebook must revisit the ban within six months.
“Facebook must reexamine the arbitrary penalty it imposed on January 7 and decide the appropriate penalty,” said the board. “This penalty must be based on the gravity of the violation and the prospect of future harm. It must also be consistent with Facebook’s rules for severe violations, which must, in turn, be clear, necessary and proportionate.”
“It is not permissible for Facebook to keep a user off the platform for an undefined period, with no criteria for when or whether the account will be restored,” continued the board.
The board said that Facebook gave Trump “a vague standardless penalty” and then tried to “avoid its responsibilities” by sending the case to the board.
“If Facebook decides to restore Mr. Trump’s accounts, the company should apply its rules to that decision, including any changes made in response to the Board’s policy recommendations below,” continued the board. “In this scenario, Facebook must address any further violations promptly and in accordance with its established content policies.”
Trump was allowed to give a statement to the board, which was submitted by the American Center for Law and Justice.
“It is stunningly clear that in his speech there was no call to insurrection, no incitement to violence, and no threat to public safety in any manner,” said the statement, adding that there is “total absence of any serious linkage between the Trump speech and the Capitol building incursion.”
The statement also added that “all genuine Trump political supporters were law-abiding” and that the riot was “certainly influenced, and most probably ignited by outside forces.”
“We will now consider the board’s decision and determine an action that is clear and proportionate,” said Facebook in response to the board’s ruling. “In the meantime, Mr. Trump’s accounts remain suspended.”
“The board also made a number of recommendations on how we should improve our policies,” continued Facebook. “While these recommendations are not binding, we actively sought the board’s views on our policies around political figures and will carefully review its recommendations.”
The official account for the Democratic National Committee celebrated the decision to deny Trump a platform, posting an image that says “Facebook should permanently ban Donald Trump.”
“For every liberal celebrating Trump’s social media ban, if the Big Tech oligarchs can muzzle the former President, what’s to stop them from silencing you?” said Republican Senator Ted Cruz.
Donald Trump was permanently banned from Twitter on January 8th.
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