Facebook’s Oversight Board ruled today to keep the ban against former President Donald Trump for another six months.
The tech giant said an indefinite ban from the social media platform was “not appropriate,” but upheld the move to keep him off the site currently.
“The Board has upheld Facebook’s decision on January 7, 2021, to restrict then-President Donald Trump’s access to posting content on his Facebook page and Instagram account,” they wrote in their decision.
The board pressured the Big Tech company to make a more definitive decision within six months and blasted them for not adhering to their own rules.
“Facebook cannot make up the rules as it goes, and anyone concerned about its power should be concerned about allowing this,” a statement reads.
“Having clear rules that apply to all users and Facebook is essential for ensuring the company treats users fairly.”
This has been an ongoing complaint from users on the platform who are temporarily banned for seemingly no reason and are unable to get responses from the company when inquiring about the cause of bans.
The Oversight Board’s decision on Donald Trump’s suspension from Facebook and Instagram pic.twitter.com/nz79DcqqD7
— Oversight Board (@OversightBoard) May 5, 2021
RELATED: Trump Posts First Video On His Own Communications Platform, Launched After Twitter And Facebook Bans
Trump’s Facebook Ban Upheld
The Oversight Board disagreed with the company’s decisions regarding Trump.
“It was not appropriate for Facebook to impose the indeterminate and standardless penalty of indefinite suspension,” they wrote.
“Facebook’s normal penalties include removing the violating content, imposing a time-bound period of suspension, or permanently disabling the page and account.”
The platform did neither, instead opting for an indefinite suspension.
The board is calling on Facebook, within six months, to decide whether to end the ban, restrict Trump’s content, or completely delete his accounts.
Facebook is more interested in acting like a Democrat Super PAC than a platform for free speech and open debate.
If they can ban President Trump, all conservative voices could be next.
A House Republican majority will rein in big tech power over our speech.
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) May 5, 2021
Republicans were outraged at the Oversight Board’s decision to uphold the ban for another six months.
Former White House chief of staff under Trump, Mark Meadows, said the decision marked “a sad day for America.”
He also warned CEO Mark Zuckerberg that it could also be a sad day for him as well.
“It’s a sad day for Facebook because I can tell you a number of members of Congress are now looking at: Do they break up Facebook? Do they make sure that they don’t have a monopoly?” he warned.
A top Republican consultant told Axios the decision to uphold a ban on the former President of the United States “reaffirms the view that Big Tech is biased against conservatives.”
RELATED: Black Lives Matter Releases List Of Demands: Convict Trump, Ban From All Social Media
The Left Agrees With Ban
The decision by the Oversight Board to extend the former President’s ban on Facebook comes just days after Black Lives Matters released a new set of ‘demands’ which included making sure he is “permanently” banned from “all digital media platforms.”
There is no evidence that this swayed their decision as the Board has been reviewing the matter for some time.
Black Lives Matter released an updated set of demands and is giving people the opportunity to sign their name onto the new list.
“Trump must also be banned from holding elected office in the future.”https://t.co/oqjK4BN5dB
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) May 3, 2021
Trump issued a statement Wednesday regarding the decision and blasted several major Big Tech companies as “a total disgrace.”
“What Facebook, Twitter, and Google have done is a total disgrace and an embarrassment to our Country,” he railed. “Free Speech has been taken away from the President of the United States because the Radical Left Lunatics are afraid of the truth.”
“These corrupt social media companies must pay a political price,” he added.
New Trump statement responding to Facebook’s decision to uphold its ban. pic.twitter.com/PIpszqMpeL
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) May 5, 2021
Facebook issued its own statement celebrating the Oversight Board’s decision to uphold Trump’s ban.
“As we stated in January, we believe our decision was necessary and right, and we’re pleased the board has recognized that the unprecedented circumstances justified the exceptional measure we took,” Nick Clegg, VP of Global Affairs and Communications, writes.
Trump posted his statement blasting the big tech companies on his very own communications platform. Ironically, it can be shared on both Facebook and Twitter.
Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
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