Former President Donald Trump’s campaign is criticizing Snapchat for not reinstating his account, despite other social media platforms restoring his presence as he runs for re-election in 2024. His accounts were originally suspended following the January 6 Capitol riots.
According to Fox News, Trump’s campaign is taking issue with Snapchat's decision to keep his account suspended as he seeks re-election, while other social media platforms have reinstated his accounts.
Trump was banned from five major social media platforms in 2021: Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. While all platforms except Snapchat have reinstated his accounts, the former president's campaign is vocal about its dissatisfaction. Snapchat suspended Trump's account, citing "multiple policy violations," and has maintained that stance.
The Trump campaign has accused Snapchat of double standards, pointing out that other controversial figures are allowed on the platform. Snapchat’s terms of service prevent a terminated user from being reinstated, a rule they have adhered to in Trump's case. Despite this, Snapchat suggested that the Trump campaign buy advertisements on the platform to reach a key audience.
Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, reinstated Trump’s accounts two years after their suspension. The suspension followed Trump's praise for individuals involved in the Capitol violence. Meta's Oversight Board had upheld the suspension but criticized the indefinite nature of it, prompting a review and subsequent reinstatement.
Twitter, now owned by Elon Musk, reinstated Trump's account following Musk’s acquisition of the company. YouTube, in its decision to reinstate Trump, balanced the risk of real-world violence with the need for voters to hear from major candidates. These reinstatements contrast sharply with Snapchat's continued ban on Trump.
Trump launched his own social media platform, Truth Social, after being blocked from major platforms. Truth Social has faced financial difficulties and has posted significant losses. Despite these challenges, Trump has used the platform to communicate his campaign messages and public statements.
Trump’s campaign has accused big tech platforms of bias, claiming they allow other controversial figures while banning Trump. RNC spokesperson Anna Kelly criticized big tech for allegedly attempting to influence elections by banning Trump. The campaign argues that Trump's message resonates with voters, citing his successful TikTok launch.
Meta’s statement on the reinstatement of Trump's accounts highlighted the unusual circumstances of the original suspension. The Oversight Board, while upholding the suspension, had called for clearer criteria for account restoration. This led to Meta reviewing and eventually reinstating Trump's accounts.
Two years ago, we took action in what were extreme and highly unusual circumstances. We indefinitely suspended then-US President Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts following his praise for people engaged in violence at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. We then referred that decision to the Oversight Board — an expert body established to be an independent check and balance on our decision-making. The Board upheld the decision but criticized the open-ended nature of the suspension and the lack of clear criteria for when and whether suspended accounts will be restored, directing us to review the matter to determine a more proportionate response.
Elon Musk recently suggested that Google's autocomplete search feature might be omitting results related to an assassination attempt against Trump. Musk questioned whether this could be considered election interference. A Google spokesperson denied any manual action on the search predictions.
The Trump War Room, an account associated with Trump's 2024 re-election campaign, posted on X criticizing Snapchat. The post accused Snapchat of refusing to reinstate Trump's account while asking the Trump campaign to advertise on the platform. This post included a screenshot of the communication with Snapchat.
The controversy over Trump's social media accounts continues as he prepares for the 2024 election. While most platforms have reinstated his accounts, Snapchat remains steadfast in its decision to keep Trump banned. Trump's campaign has criticized what it sees as double standards and bias from big tech companies. Despite these challenges, Trump has found alternative ways to communicate with his supporters, including his own platform, Truth Social. The debate over social media policies and their impact on political discourse remains a contentious issue.
