YouTube CEO says Donald Trump's account will be restored 'only when violence risk recedes'

After nearly two months of suspension of former US President Donald Trump’s account on YouTube, the company’s CEO Susan Wojcicki has said on Thursday that it will be eventually restored in accordance with the platform’s present policies. As per the CNN report, YouTbe CEO said at an event hosted by the Atlantic Council, that Trump’s account will be reinstated only when the company is confident that the risk of violence has receded for which, it will rely on a mix of indicators to assess the level of violence and statements of government officials. 

Wojcicki said it would also depend on the readiness level of law enforcement as well as any violent rhetoric that the platform might observe by the users. Hence, it still remains unclear exactly when Trump’s account will be restored after it was suspended on January 12, a week after January 6 violence at US Capitol. 

“I do want to confirm that we will lift the suspension of the channel ... when we determine that the risk of violence has decreased," she said.

The media giant had previously confirmed that it would extend a ban on Trump’s channel as Facebook and Twitter also scrapped former US President’s accounts. At the time, the Google-owned company had faced some criticism for a delayed response after Trump’s supporters sieged the federal building and caused a riot that killed reportedly at least 5 people including one police officer. 

Even now, nearly two months after the shocking US Capitol attack, officials are still on high alert following the warning by the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and the United States Capitol Police about potential extremist plans to assault the complex. Wojcicki said in the event, “It’s pretty clear right now...that there is still an elevated risk of violence.”

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Permanent suspension after two more strikes

Even though Trump’s YouTube channel would eventually be restored, Wojcicki noted that it could be permanently banned if it gets two more strikes under the company’s rules within 90 days. The 76-year-old former leader of the United States has posted videos titled "The Biden Crime Family's Payoff Scheme" and "Election Theft of the Century" to his channel, which had around 600,000 subscribers at the time of suspension. 

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