APFacebook and Instagram will bar President Donald Trump from posting on its system at least until the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on Thursday.
In a post announcing the unprecedented move, the Facebook founder said the risk of allowing Trump to use the platform is too great following the president's incitement of a mob that touched off a deadly riot in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.
Trump's account will be locked "for at least the next two weeks" but could remain locked indefinitely.
"The shocking events of the last 24 hours clearly demonstrate that President Donald Trump intends to use his remaining time in office to undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power to his elected successor, Joe Biden," Zuckerberg wrote.
Trump has repeatedly harnessed the power of social media to spread falsehoods about election integrity and the results of the presidential race. Platforms like Facebook have occasionally labeled or even removed some of his posts, but the overall response has failed to satisfy a growing number of critics who say the platforms have enabled the spread of dangerous misinformation.
In light of Wednesday's riot, however, Zuckerberg said a more aggressive approach is needed.
"The current context is now fundamentally different, involving use of our platform to incite violent insurrection against a democratically elected government," he wrote.
Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, will also block Trump's ability to post on its platform "indefinitely and for at least the next two weeks," Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram tweeted Thursday.
Twitter also locked President Donald Trump's accounts for 12 hours after he repeatedly posted false accusations about the integrity of the election. That suspension was set to expire sometime Thursday; the president had not yet resumed tweeting as of late Thursday morning.
A company spokesman said the company could take further action as well.
"We're continuing to evaluate the situation in real time, including examining activity on the ground and statements made off Twitter," the spokesman said. "We will keep the public informed, including if further escalation in our enforcement approach is necessary."
Meanwhile, the platforms continued to face criticism from users who blamed them, in part, for creating an online environment that led to Wednesday's violence.
"Today is the result of allowing people with hate in their hearts to use platforms that should be used to bring people together," singer Selena Gomez wrote on Twitter to her 64 million followers. ""You have all failed the American people today, and I hope you're going to fix things moving forward."
A message left with the White House on Thursday morning was not immediately returned.
In a post announcing the unprecedented move, the Facebook founder said the risk of allowing Trump to use the platform is too great following the president's incitement of a mob that touched off a deadly riot in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.
Trump's account will be locked "for at least the next two weeks" but could remain locked indefinitely.
The shocking events of the last 24 hours clearly demonstrate that President Donald Trump intends to use his remaining...
Posted by Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday, 7 January 2021
"The shocking events of the last 24 hours clearly demonstrate that President Donald Trump intends to use his remaining time in office to undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power to his elected successor, Joe Biden," Zuckerberg wrote.
Trump has repeatedly harnessed the power of social media to spread falsehoods about election integrity and the results of the presidential race. Platforms like Facebook have occasionally labeled or even removed some of his posts, but the overall response has failed to satisfy a growing number of critics who say the platforms have enabled the spread of dangerous misinformation.
In light of Wednesday's riot, however, Zuckerberg said a more aggressive approach is needed.
"The current context is now fundamentally different, involving use of our platform to incite violent insurrection against a democratically elected government," he wrote.
Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, will also block Trump's ability to post on its platform "indefinitely and for at least the next two weeks," Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram tweeted Thursday.
Twitter also locked President Donald Trump's accounts for 12 hours after he repeatedly posted false accusations about the integrity of the election. That suspension was set to expire sometime Thursday; the president had not yet resumed tweeting as of late Thursday morning.
A company spokesman said the company could take further action as well.
"We're continuing to evaluate the situation in real time, including examining activity on the ground and statements made off Twitter," the spokesman said. "We will keep the public informed, including if further escalation in our enforcement approach is necessary."
Meanwhile, the platforms continued to face criticism from users who blamed them, in part, for creating an online environment that led to Wednesday's violence.
"Today is the result of allowing people with hate in their hearts to use platforms that should be used to bring people together," singer Selena Gomez wrote on Twitter to her 64 million followers. ""You have all failed the American people today, and I hope you're going to fix things moving forward."
A message left with the White House on Thursday morning was not immediately returned.
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14 Comments on this Story
 | लगे रहो52 minutes ago :-) The pot calling the kettle black. Oh! Only way to be possitive contributor to society is not be a profiteer from corrupt optics manipulated organizations - social media to financial organizations to govt institutions. Hoping थरकी influencers die owm death is not going change anything till institutionalise corruption empowers थरकीness :-) What a world lead by two models :-) chinese चू◇ए engaged in marital rap€ , while west is inventing new tricks for gang rap€ of strangers. |
| Vedavyasa H. Joshi2 hours ago Several people in their comments have tried to relate this development with India & Indian politics. Many put Modi in the same position as Trump. It is noy right. Trump lost election after completing first term. Modi has won mandate of Indians for second time. Modi gas denounced the illegal act of raiding THE CAPITOL unequivocally. Modi maintained cordial election with democratic president Obama as well as republican president, Obama with equal ease. Both presidents appreciated politics of Modi by and large. This is right stand for any Indian Prime Minister. Indian PM should not meddle in to politics of US un-necesarily. Modi is a nationalist. It is inappropriate to call him either leftist or rightist. Modi has not called for or supported an illegal protest in India like the Muslims blocking Delhi road near Noida, or blockade of Delhi now by Kisan movement. It was not so with Trump. RegardingFacebook blocking the account of Trump, I appreciate guts of Facebook in doing so. Facebook has sided with what is right, i.e., denouncing an illegal & violent act. Mr. Guest is right in saying that such an act is rather unlikely to happen in India as the facebook is owned by a US citizen. Modi would love to see an organization like facebook to get developed in India under Indian ownership, even if it would oppose Modi when in Power. Modi is a nationalist to the core & feel proud of an organization like Facebook to come up under indian ownership. |
| Vedavyasa H. Joshi2 hours ago What face book did is fine. It disagreed with Trump in encouraging an illegal act of raiding the CAPITOL. To this point, Trump & Biden agree. Biden is more stringent, because, he is the Preasident elect & has more responsibility to curb such acts. Nevertheless, there appears to be some strength in argument of trump that a lot of hanky-panky may have taken place while casting votes in US election. Present set up of Election Commission in USA (or its equivalent) was not effective in preventing the same. This must have enraged Trump, which may have led to what he was doing. Election process in USA should to looked in to seriously & suitable ammends be made so that such pent up feelings in people sharing their views with Trump to make way for fair play. The movement of "Black lives matter" dealing with 4 deaths close to election campaign ned be investigated more stringently. Culprits be brought to book. Otherwise, US population will be deeply divided & polarized & more inward looking. If this happens, some of the stabilizing forces of the world will be missing. This may lead to a more chaotic world, which is undesirable. I would say the same thing if similar polarization takes place in Russia, because, it is also a superpower that matters in international matters (the same way as the US matters). However, I cn not say the same thing about China, because, it is too self centered, greedy, cruel, unfriendly to world community & acts irresponsibly in international matters. |