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Why Was Trump’s Twitter Account Suspended?
The question that has been looming over many Twitter users is: Why was Trump’s account suspended? The reason varies widely, but some analysts believe the suspension has to do with the company’s ‘Glorification of Violence Policy,’ and not with any of Trump’s tweets. However, there are a few common themes in tweets that may lead to the account being suspended. One of these is Trump’s tendency to encourage violence. There are other factors that may have contributed to Twitter’s decision to suspend the account, such as Stephen K. Bannon and Sidney Powell.
Twitter’s Glorification of Violence Policy
After Trump’s ban from Twitter, the team behind the platform published a blog explaining that two of his tweets violated Twitter’s Glorification of Violence Policy. It is clear from this statement that Twitter’s ban on Donald Trump is justified. Anyone who argues that the ban on Trump is unjustified did not read Twitter’s terms of service. Twitter expressly reserves the right to censor its users for violating their Glorification of Violence Policy.
The governing policy for censorship differs for each private entity. While Twitter’s terms of service outline the specific rules of sharing and content, general guidelines and standards are available publicly. Twitter’s Glorification of Violence Policy prohibits users from glorifying violent events, crimes, or individuals. In its case, Trump’s tweets encouraged terrorist groups and criminal activity. This violated Twitter’s Glorification of Violence Policy, and has been suspended.
Trump’s tweets likely to incite violence
Twitter has banned President Trump’s account for inciting violence, a move that comes in the wake of a far-right rally at the US Capitol. Trump’s Twitter account has been banned permanently, but Twitter has repeatedly warned that he’s violating its terms. Twitter acted after far-right Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in support of the president on Wednesday. After his tweets, many people expressed their outrage and expressed concerns that the President’s tweets would incite violence.
The Trump administration’s recent tweets have made a clear connection between the events in Charlottesville and the rising levels of racial and ethnic tensions in the US. Since the January 6 riots, dozens of people have died. The victims include an American citizen, Jacob Blake, and the police officers who killed him. The media, as well as Democrats, have also been blamed for the violence.
Stephen K. Bannon’s account also suspended
Former Trump strategist and surrogate Steve Bannon has had his Twitter account permanently suspended. His statements have sparked outrage and anger, and he has been accused of falsely claiming that the president won a second term by firing FBI Director Christopher Wray and Dr. Anthony Fauci. The Twitter account of the former executive director of the White House was suspended, as were his social media accounts on Facebook and YouTube.
In addition to his Twitter account being suspended, Bannon’s War Room account was also taken down for violating the social media platform’s rules. The video posted to the account had been on Facebook for 10 hours before it was taken down. On top of that, Bannon’s account was also suspended on Twitter, after he was arrested on federal fraud charges for misappropriating $2 million in campaign donations. Bannon has denied these accusations.
Sidney Powell’s account also suspended
Last week, Trump’s lawyer and crony, Sidney Powell, appeared on live TV with Rudy Giuliani, launching a conspiracy theory on the election that ties voting machines to the late Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez. In another tweet, Powell went on the offensive against Kemp, claiming he was corrupt and involved in a Trump-hating conspiracy. While Trump has yet to comment on the matter, QAnon believers are in a frenzy and have decided to boycott the run-off elections in Georgia.
The lawsuit was filed by Dominion Voting Systems, which claims Powell made false and misleading claims about the company. They are seeking $1.3 billion in damages. Both parties have denied the allegations and have defended their positions on the matter. Despite the accusations, however, Twitter has suspended both accounts. The lawsuit alleges that Powell’s tweets distorted the truth about Dominion Voting Systems and Trump’s administration.
Facebook and YouTube followed suit
Former president Donald Trump filed class-action lawsuits against Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, alleging violations of First Amendment rights and censorship. The former president asks the court to reinstate a proposed class of plaintiffs and ban the companies from silencing critics. The lawsuits name Facebook and Twitter CEOs Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. YouTube and Facebook declined to comment.
Social media companies have long declined to interfere with the President’s posts, which often contain falsehoods and threats. The companies have positioned themselves as defenders of free speech and insisted that it was in the public interest to see what world leaders have to say. Critics, however, have criticized Facebook and Twitter for allowing toxic content to flow freely. Facebook and YouTube are currently deliberating on restoring Trump’s account.
