Is Trump back on Facebook and Instagram? Read firm's official statement

Rumour has it that former US President Donald Trump briefly appeared to have returned on the forbidden social media platforms- Facebook and Instagram. This was assumed after the official Facebook page for Trump with the last few posts from January 6, 2021, was visible months after Facebook and Facebook-owned Instagram "indefinitely" blocked his accounts. Trump's Instagram account was also active.

Talks over Trump getting back on social media surfaced after posts on Twitter emerged alleging that Facebook and Instagram have reactivated the former President's social media pages. Trump supporters and social media users got excited about him being "back" on debarred social forums.

However, it was later clarified that Donald Trump is yet to return to mainstream social media platforms. The logged activity which was mistaken for Trump's re-entry was basically an update from Trump's new personal blog "From The Desk Of Donald J Trump".

 Facebook says nothing has changed

The news of the possibility that Trump is back on Facebook or Instagram was shunned by Facebook's Communications Director Andy Stone. Pursuant to the rumours of Trump's return on social media, Andy Stone took to Twitter to clarify otherwise.

Why is Trump banned from social media?

In January 2021, Twitter permanently suspended the US President Donald Trump's account owing to the risk of further instigating violence when Trump supporters mindlessly stomped off to the US Capitol, earlier this year. Donald Trump is also expelled from social media platforms, namely, Facebook and Instagram.  

CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg inculpated Trump in trying to "undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power to his elected successor, Joe Biden". He said that the suspension, in view of Trump supporters' attack at the Capitol was cardinal to limit the risk of violence until newly elected US President Joe Biden's inauguration. Facebook then referred the final decision to its oversight board. The decision was due April 20 but the board prolonged the deadline.

Snapchat and Twitter have permanently prohibited Trump's accounts and pages. He had more than 88 million followers at the time of the ban declaration. YouTube and other social media companies have also indefinitely suspended Trump's accounts. While his YouTube account is still active, Trump is restricted from uploading any new videos.

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki said in March “We will lift the ban on Trump when we determine the risk of violence has decreased.”