Facebook continues Trump’s ban, will review down the road

May 5, 2021

Facebook’s Oversight Board upheld former President Trump’s suspension, announcing on Wednesday to continue his ban that began in January.

After over 100 days since the Capitol riots that led to former President Trump’s suspension, Facebook will be reviewing its decision to indefinitely ban Trump from its platform. This comes after the social media’s Oversight Board slammed leadership for their disproportionate response, saying it was an “indeterminate and standardless penalty.”

In the meantime, Trump launched a site where he can communicate with his followers in tweet-sized statements.

At first, the board upheld Trump’s suspension. However, they criticized its duration. The board asked that leadership, including Vice President Nick Clegg, review Trump’s suspension.

The Board also found Facebook violated its own rules by imposing a suspension that was ‘indefinite.’ This penalty is not described in Facebook’s content policies. It has no clear criteria and gives Facebook total discretion on when to impose or lift it.
— Oversight Board (@OversightBoard) May 5, 2021

As a result, Clegg says they will change the nature of the ban. “We will now consider the board’s decision and determine an action that is clear and proportionate,” Clegg said in a press release. The board gave Facebook six-month-deadline to come to a decision.

Facebook cannot make up the rules as it goes, and anyone concerned about its power should be concerned about allowing this. Having clear rules that apply to all users and Facebook is essential for ensuring the company treats users fairly. This is what the Board stands for.
— Oversight Board (@OversightBoard) May 5, 2021

According to a press release, the Oversight Board was created in 2020. Board members are allegedly “made up of experts and civic leaders from around the world with a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives.” No one at Facebook can overrule board decisions, not even Mark Zuckerberg.

You can follow Jenny Goldsberry on Twitter @jennyjournalism