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Facebook continues Trump ban for two more years

Ban until 2023 might be extended if he is deemed a threat

President Donald Trump arrives to speak to supporters from The Ellipse near the White House on Jan. 6.
President Donald Trump arrives to speak to supporters from The Ellipse near the White House on Jan. 6. (AFP via Getty Images)

Facebook on Friday said it would continue its suspension of former President Donald Trump from its platform for two more years and evaluate whether to let him back on in January 2023.

The company said it would decide whether to let Trump back on the platform after it consults with experts to decide “whether the risk to public safety has receded.”

Facebook banned Trump from the platform after the Jan. 6 mob attack on the Capitol. The attack unfolded after Trump called on his supporters to prevent Congress from certifying the election of President Joe Biden.

The company then asked its Oversight Board comprised of outside experts who are paid from a Facebook fund to evaluate whether Trump should be allowed back.

Last month the board decided that while Facebook’s ban on Trump was justified it wasn’t in compliance with its own rules. The board then asked Facebook to craft a more uniform code of conduct for politicians and make a decision on Trump.

Facebook said that if Trump is allowed back on he would be subject to “rapidly escalating sanctions” for violating the platform’s rules.

On Friday, Facebook also decided that it would end its global policy of treating posts from politicians differently from those posted by ordinary users.

Critics had said that while Facebook banned Trump it had allowed dictators and political leaders around the world who posted highly inflammatory messages to remain on the platform.

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