Trump, Facebook and Instagram block indefinitely after the assault on Congress
Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat have taken tough restrictive measures against outgoing President Trump after his supporters stormed Congress yesterday. Facebook and Instagram accounts were initially blocked for 24 hours, but it is fresh news that the block has been extended indefinitely, or at least until the date of Joe Biden's inauguration as President-elect on January 20. Twitter adopted the same blocking measure but for only 12 hours and asked for the removal of three messages. Snapchat account blocking too, until a later date.
These are unprecedented measures taken against Trump, but justified by the violation of the rules governing the publication of content on the respective social networks. Facebook in recent months had prepared for the worst regarding Trump's utterances ahead of the presidential elections and the hypothesis has come true.
To contextualize the news:
Yesterday (January 6) Congress met to certify Joe Biden's election victory. President Trump held a rally that sparked his supporters who raided the Capitol. According to an initial report, in the clashes - which required the intervention of the National Guard to be quelled - 4 people lost their lives and there were several injured. The work of the Chamber and Senate, suspended during the assault, resumed only after several hours.
TWITTER THREATENS TO SUSPEND TRUMP'S ACCOUNT FOREVER
With three interventions, Twitter condemned Trump's utterances. Specifically, the managers of the social network have:
- Requested the removal of three messages containing false statements and inciting violence
- Arranged to block the account for 12 hours after the deletion of the three messages
- Specified that further violations of the Twitter rules could lead to a permanent suspension of the account
One of Trump's messages, now removed, read:
This is what happens when a sacred and crushing election victory is brutally snatched from the great patriots who have been treated badly and unfairly for so long. Return home in love and in peace. You will remember this day forever!
As a result of the unprecedented and ongoing violent situation in Washington, D.C., we have required the removal of three @realDonaldTrump Tweets that were posted earlier today for repeated and severe violations of our Civic Integrity policy. https://t.co/k6OkjNG3bM
— Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) January 7, 2021
FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM: BLOCKED INDEFINITELY
Facebook points out that it found two violations of the rules governing the publication of content on the Trump page, as a result of which the initial block was ordered for 24 hours. As mentioned above, it is recent news that the blockade will last at least until January 20, Biden's inauguration date, if not beyond.
The initial measure was adopted after the removal of a video on Facebook in which the President, shortly after the start of the clashes, while inviting the protesters to return home, referred to electoral interference, explicitly speaking of a stolen victory.
Facebook also deleted a message in which the President asked his supporters to remember this day forever.
The same indefinite account lockout was arranged for Trump's Instagram account.
Contents in all cases deemed false, misleading and capable of fueling the vortex of violence that was engulfing Congress in those hours. Here is the latest statement from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in an official statement accompanying the decision to expand the ban indefinitely.
We've assessed two policy violations against President Trump's Page which will result in a 24-hour feature block, meaning he will lose the ability to post on the platform during that time.
— Facebook Newsroom (@fbnewsroom) January 7, 2021
"We believe the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great,"
SNAPCHAT: BLOCK WITH AN INDEFINITE TIME
A Snapchat spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch colleagues the decision to block Trump's account until a later date. The managers of the social network added that they will continue to monitor the situation before reconsidering the measure.
