Facebook bans Trump from posting for remainder of his term in office
By Brian Fung, CNN
Updated 2037 GMT (0437 HKT) January 7, 2021
Facebook blocks Trump through end of presidency 01:38
(CNN)Facebook and Instagram will ban President Donald Trump's account from posting for at least the remainder of his term in office and perhaps "indefinitely," Mark Zuckerberg said in a blog post on Thursday.
"We believe the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great," the Facebook CEO wrote in the post. "Therefore, we are extending the block we have placed on his Facebook and Instagram accounts indefinitely and for at least the next two weeks until the peaceful transition of power is complete."
The decision marks a major escalation by Facebook as it and other platforms have come under intense pressure from advocacy groups and prominent figures to ban Trump following his inflammatory rhetoric encouraging insurrection.
Facebook and Twitter took the extraordinary step on Wednesday of temporarily locking President Donald Trump's account on their platforms after his supporters stormed the Capitol building to protest the election.
If the latest restrictions hold, Facebook could be the first major platform to remove Trump permanently.
Facebook's move now raises expectations for Twitter, known for being the president's preferred social media platform, to follow suit. Twitter has confirmed that Trump deleted several tweets in order to regain his tweeting privileges sometime on Thursday, though the company declined to say when precisely he would be able to tweet again.
By Brian Fung, CNN
Updated 2037 GMT (0437 HKT) January 7, 2021
Facebook blocks Trump through end of presidency 01:38
(CNN)Facebook and Instagram will ban President Donald Trump's account from posting for at least the remainder of his term in office and perhaps "indefinitely," Mark Zuckerberg said in a blog post on Thursday.
"We believe the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great," the Facebook CEO wrote in the post. "Therefore, we are extending the block we have placed on his Facebook and Instagram accounts indefinitely and for at least the next two weeks until the peaceful transition of power is complete."
The decision marks a major escalation by Facebook as it and other platforms have come under intense pressure from advocacy groups and prominent figures to ban Trump following his inflammatory rhetoric encouraging insurrection.
Facebook and Twitter took the extraordinary step on Wednesday of temporarily locking President Donald Trump's account on their platforms after his supporters stormed the Capitol building to protest the election.
If the latest restrictions hold, Facebook could be the first major platform to remove Trump permanently.
Facebook's move now raises expectations for Twitter, known for being the president's preferred social media platform, to follow suit. Twitter has confirmed that Trump deleted several tweets in order to regain his tweeting privileges sometime on Thursday, though the company declined to say when precisely he would be able to tweet again.
