'Reckless': Fury among rights groups as Facebook lifts Trump ban

[Mr. Sparkle]

Source: The Guardian

Civil rights groups voice anger at ‘unethical’ decision, while others say the public has an interest in hearing directly from candidates for political office. The news that Meta will allow Donald Trump back on Facebook and Instagram following a two-year ban has been met with fury and indignation among civil rights and online safety advocates. The former US president will be allowed to return to the platforms “in coming weeks” but “with new guardrails in place to deter repeat offences”, Meta’s president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, wrote in a blogpost explaining the decision on Wednesday.

The Anti-Defamation League, the NAACP, Free Press, Media Matters and other groups expressed concern about Facebook’s ability to prevent any future attacks on the democratic process or quell misinformation. “Make no mistake – by allowing Donald Trump back on its platforms, Meta is refuelling Trump’s misinformation and extremism engine,” said Angelo Carusone, president and CEO of media watchdog Media Matters for America. “When Trump is given a platform, it ratchets up the temperature on a landscape that is already simmering – one that will put us on a path to increased violence.”

Trump was removed from Meta platforms after the Capitol riots on 6 January 2021, during which he posted unsubstantiated claims that the election had been stolen, praised increasingly violent protesters and condemned former vice-president Mike Pence even as the mob threatened his life. Democratic congresswoman Jan Schakowsky said reinstating Trump’s accounts “will only fan the flames of hatred and division that led to an insurrection”. “The Capitol community is still picking up the pieces from the January 6th insurrection that Trump ignited, and now he is returning to the virtual scene of the crime,” she tweeted.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/26/reckless-fury-among-rights-groups-as-facebook-lifts-trump-ban

[LittleGirl]

1. It's free speech.

Even if you don’t want to listen to it. I won’t be following the traitor.
Maybe he’ll piss off enough people to keep him from completing his candidacy.
He should be in jail and that’s all I care about.

[Farmer-Rick]

2. Manipulation by social media to get TFG reelected

Corporate censorship on social media picks and chooses who gets to have free speech. First Twitter now Facebook and Instagram let the pus bag back on.

Do you think if I posted on those platforms that, "Trump is a stinking, vile mass of quivering idiocy who wants to fck babies." That they Would Not block me and remove posting privileges? Yet, they let Trump say things like that about different races, Democratic leaders and women.

Free speech for the filthy rich and Putin buddies BUT no free speech for anyone else.

What you got on social media has nothing to do with free speech it's all about putting Putin's pick back in power. That's why he's not in jail.

[LudwigPastorius]

3. You can't expect Facebook and Twitter to do the right thing.

They will make a ton of money off of Trump's reinstatement.

Everyone who believes that orange traitor is an imminent danger to our democracy needs to stop using their Facebook account. (make sure you tell the administrators there why you're leaving)

Unfortunately, most people won't do this. They'll take the convenience of looking at Aunt Gladys' baby pictures over acting to prevent an existential threat to our country.

[SouthernDem4ever]

4. This isn't about free speech

It's about hate speech, misinformation, inciting violence and crimes against our government. He doesn't deserve a walkie talkie much less a huge megaphone to spread his crap.