Facebook Oversight Board Affirms Trump Ban -- For Now
By Rob Lever
05/05/21 AT 2:54 PM
Facebook's independent oversight board on Wednesday upheld a ban on former US president Donald Trump while ordering further review of the case, in a decision with a potentially far-reaching impact on the regulation of online speech.
Trump, whose political influence has arguably been severely curtailed by the loss of his social media presence, responded with a statement slamming bans by the leading social network and other online giants as a "total disgrace."
The oversight board, whose decisions are binding on Facebook, said Trump had "created an environment where a serious risk of violence was possible" with his comments regarding the January 6 rampage by his supporters at the US Capitol.