05/05/2021

Oversight Board Upholds Facebook's Ban on Trump

The board said Facebook was 'justified in suspending' his accounts

Facebook was justified in banning then-President Donald Trump from its platform after the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol but will need to reassess how long the ban will remain in effect, the social network’s quasi-independent Oversight Board said Wednesday.

The decision to uphold the ban is a blow to Trump's hopes to post again to Facebook or Instagram any time soon, but it opens the door to him eventually returning to the platforms. Facebook must complete a review of the length of the suspension within six months, the board said.

Facebook created the Oversight Board last year as a kind of "supreme court" to hear appeals from users like Trump who have had their posts removed or who want to challenge other sensitive or contentious moderation decisions. The decisions of the 20-member globe-spanning board are not binding, but Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has pledged to abide by what it says.

Please select this link to read the complete article from NBC News.