Facebook suspends Donald Trump's account for two years
Facebook extended Donald Trump's suspension from his social network until at least January 2023 on Friday and announced a change in its rules regarding the treatment of politicians who violate its terms of use.
In May, the Facebook supervisory committee maintained the suspension imposed on the former president of the United States following the invasion of the Capitol by his supporters on January 6 in Washington.
The committee had nevertheless ruled that the group could not impose an indefinite suspension and had given Facebook six months to determine "a proportionate response".
Donald Trump said on Friday that Facebook's decision to continue the suspension of his account was "an insult" to Americans who voted for him in the 2020 presidential election.
Donald Trump's suspension was effective from the original date in January and will only be reinstated if conditions permit, Facebook said.
"Given the gravity of the circumstances which led to Mr. Trump's suspension, we believe his actions constituted a serious violation of our rules which deserve the highest sanction available under the new enforcement protocols," added the social network.
This suspension deprives Donald Trump of an important means of expression before the mid-term elections of November 2022. However, it means that he may be able to return to Facebook well before the next presidential election, at the end of 2024.
Donald Trump has been permanently banned by Twitter and has remained suspended by YouTube since the January 6 riot.
