A little over two years ago, Meta banned former President Trump from its Facebook and Instagram platforms. This ban came as a result of Trump’s perceived egging on of January 6 rioters who ended up storming the United States Capitol.
Ultimately, Meta arrived at the conclusion that Trump incited violence, which is a breach of the platform’s terms and services agreements. Initially, when Trump was banned, he simply set up his own social media platform known as Truth Social.
However, with Trump now trying to campaign to win the 2024 presidential election, he’s finding out that access to mainstream social media platforms comes with benefits. According to ARS Technica, Trump is now trying to get Meta to let him back on the site.
A Direct Appeal From Trump’s 2024 Campaign
Earlier this week, the Trump 2024 campaign penned a letter to Meta. In this letter, the campaign argues that maintaining the ban on the former president interferes with “public discourse.”
The Trump 2024 campaign team also wants Meta to believe that not lifting the ban against him would constitute overreach from a private company via “silencing” Trump. However, while Trump currently cannot access Meta platforms, he can use Twitter, along with Truth Social.
Trump's presidential campaign has petitioned Meta to let him back on Facebook, which has blocked him since the day after 1/6.
"We believe the ban on President Trump's account on Facebook has dramatically distorted and inhibited the public discourse," the campaign wrote to Meta. pic.twitter.com/WQsLLbRbwg
— The Recount (@therecount) January 18, 2023
What Trump and his campaign really want are the benefits of using mainstream platforms; however, Meta is under no obligation to grant these benefits to the former president.
Time is ultimately going to reveal what the company decides as far as this request from Trump’s campaign goes.
An Opposite Appeal From Democrats
As Trump writes to Meta in efforts to get back on the platform, Democrats are also reaching out to the tech company with a few choice words of their own.
Democrats argue that much of the content Trump posts on Truth Social is “harmful” and would breach Facebook’s own rules.
Because of this, left-wing lawmakers like Sen. Whitehouse and Rep. Schiff believe Meta should uphold its ban on Trump and reject his appeals to get back on the site.
The best part about Trump’s return to Twitter & Facebook is how upset his MAGA cultists are who invested their life savings in his Truth Social dumpster fire.
— The USA Singers (@TheUSASingers) January 19, 2023
Democrats furthermore accused Trump of spreading more election lies post-2020 about the November 2022 midterm elections.
For instance, Trump claimed, without evidence, that failed Arizona Republican Kari Lake was “cheated” out of winning the gubernatorial election and should therefore be “installed” into the position.
At the end of the day, Meta will have the final say as to whether or not Trump is allowed back on Facebook and Instagram. Thus far, the ban against the former president remains in effect.
Do you believe Meta should let Trump back on Facebook or Instagram or uphold the current ban that remains in effect? What do you think about Democrats rallying against Trump and his efforts to be let back on?
Please use the comments area below as a sounding board for your insight.
This article appeared in The Political Globe and has been published here with permission.
