Meta to restore Trump's Facebook, Instagram accounts

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Meta announced on Wednesday that the company would restore former U.S. President Donald Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts in the coming weeks, ending a two-year suspension.

"In the event that Mr. Trump posts further violating content, the content will be removed and he will be suspended for between one month and two years, depending on the severity of the violation," wrote Nick Clegg, Meta's vice president of global affairs, in a blog post.

Meta issued updated rules this month that apply to public figures.

Facebook suspended Trump on Jan. 7, 2021, after he continued posting content about the November 2020 election after protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol.

"Today's decision by Meta is a pivotal moment in the debate over the best way to handle harmful content posted by politicians on social media," Meta's Oversight Board wrote in a blog post.

"Independent oversight of decisions related to speech on social media platforms is why the Board was set up -- to ensure that companies act in a transparent and accountable manner," it noted.

"Such a thing should never again happen to a sitting President, or anybody else who is not deserving of retribution," Trump responded.

He was recently reinstated on Twitter after Elon Musk took over the company.