Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the social media platform would be extending the suspension of President Donald Trump’s account indefinitely.
In Thursday’s Facebook post, Zuckerberg pointed to Wednesday’s violence at the U.S. Capitol as evidence of Trump’s intention to “use his remaining time in office to undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power to his elected successor, Joe Biden.”
He added, “His decision to use his platform to condone rather than condemn the actions of his supporters at the Capitol building has rightly disturbed people in the US and around the world.”
Zuckerberg stressed the nation must focus on keeping the remaining days of Trump’s presidency and those following the inauguration as peaceful as possible.
Check out Zuckerberg’s post below:
BREAKING: Zuckerberg says Facebook and Instagram are blocking President Trump from using their services indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/JHxZvmjqiu
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 7, 2021
He noted Facebook has allowed Trump to post content on the basis of the right Americans have to access “political speech, even controversial speech.”
Zuckerberg continued, “But the current context is now fundamentally different, involving use of our platform to incite violent insurrection against a democratically elected government.”
He wrote the risks of Trump using the platform at this point are “simply too great.”
“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,” Zuckerberg concluded.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) weighed in on the ban.
“These isolated actions are both too late and not nearly enough… As I have continually said, these platforms have served as core organizing infrastructure for violent, far right groups and militia movements,” Warner said in a statement.
Read his comments below:
SEN @MarkWarner on Facebook Trump Ban: “Too late and not nearly enough… These platforms have served as core organizing infrastructure for violent, far right groups and militia movements for several years now – helping them to recruit, organize…” and PROFIT from extremists pic.twitter.com/uOx0eVZxc7
— Mike Valerio (@ValerioCNN) January 7, 2021
Zuckerberg’s announcement comes the day after Twitter temporarily locked Trump’s account, as IJR previously reported.
“As a result of the unprecedented and ongoing violent situation in Washington, D.C., we have required the removal of three [Trump’s] Tweets that were posted earlier today for repeated and severe violations of our Civic Integrity policy,” the social media giant wrote.
It went on, “This means that the account of [Trump] will be locked for 12 hours following the removal of these Tweets. If the Tweets are not removed, the account will remain locked.”
Twitter concluded, “Future violations of the Twitter Rules, including our Civic Integrity or Violent Threats policies, will result in permanent suspension of the [Trump] account.”
