Meta has updated its guidance on a policy issued early last year to allow former President Donald Trump back on both Instagram and Facebook. The company now says it will further loosen its "guardrails" meant to cautiously watch over Trump's use of the platforms. Meta says the 2024 candidate running the Republican party for a second term in the White House "should be able to" be heard by the American public "on the same basis" as any other potential nominees for president are heard.
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The update on Meta's protocol was issued on its website on Friday ahead of upcoming party conventions where formal announcements on nominees will be heard.
"Former President Trump, as the nominee of the Republican Party, will no longer be subject to the heightened suspension penalties," Meta said in the statement.
Meta said previous penalties, including suspension of Donald Trump from platforms, were in "response to extreme and extraordinary circumstances." When the former president was allowed back on Facebook and Instagram, Meta said it would do it cautiously with "new guardrails" to "to deter repeat offenses." In January of 2023 when the decision was announced, Meta said, "The public should be able to hear what politicians are saying so they can make informed choices."
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Meta said in the Friday update, "All U.S. Presidential candidates remain subject to the same Community Standards as all Facebook and Instagram users, including those policies designed to prevent hate speech and incitement to violence."
In 2021 Donald Trump appealed with the company's oversight board to get his suspension overturned by the social media giant.
It wasn't until January 2023 that Meta said, in a statement from president of global affairs Nick Clegg, that it had decided to allow Trump back on its platforms over two years after he was banned.
