Donald Trump was banned from several social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, following the events of the US Capitol siege on January 6, 2021. The ban was imposed because of the perceived risk that he would continue to use these platforms to incite violence and further threaten public safety.
Specifically, Facebook and Instagram both cited Trump's use of the platforms to spread false claims about the US election and to encourage violence, in violation of the companies' policies prohibiting dangerous individuals and organizations from using their services. These bans were widely debated and were seen as a significant moment in the growing conversation about the role and responsibility of social media companies in moderating content.
57% of Brits think Trump shouldn’t be back on Instagram and Facebook
This was one of the interesting findings of a survey analysed by BanklessTimes.com. The majority of respondents were adamant that the former US President should not be allowed back on social media. 22% disagreed, expressing support for the decision to allow him to return. 20% neither agreed nor disagreed.
The biggest opposition to Trump is in London
When breaking the data down by region, Trump has the most support in Scotland. 29% of Scots think he should be back on Facebook and Instagram, the highest percentage of all the groups surveyed. At the other end of the scale, 63% of respondents in London stated he shouldn’t have been allowed back.
The other regions included in the survey were Wales, the rest of the south, and the north. In the north and south, 22% supported lifting the ban. 58% in the south outside London said that it shouldn't have been lifted. The second-biggest Trump support group was in Wales, with 24% hoping the ban wouldn’t return.
Women don’t want Trump back on social media
Far more women than men were against Trump’s return: 64% vs 50%. 31% of male respondents were happy about the decision to reinstate his accounts. Just 14% of women agreed.
Opinions based on political affiliation
Trump’s repealed ban had the most support among members of the Conservative Party, with over a third (35%) in support of his return. 45% said the ban should have remained in effect, the smallest share of all three parties.
The vast majority of Liberal Democrats (81%) and Labour Party members (73%) think he shouldn’t be on social media. Only 8% of LD and 12% of LP respondents support the decision to restore his accounts.
Trump faces the most opposition in his own age group
One final unexpected finding of the survey relates to age group. Four groups were polled: aged 18-24, 25-49, 50-64, and 65+. 54% of the two younger groups and 55% of the 50-64 age bracket said he shouldn’t have been allowed to return to social media. Two-thirds of 65+ respondents were against lifting his ban.
The data also showed that a quarter of those aged 25-49 supported the repeal of the ban.
There is a fine line between freedom of expression and the freedom to offend. Social media should step in when there is a risk of a user inciting violence or other conflict. They made a reasonable effort to eliminate this risk.BanklessTimes.com CEO Jonathan Merry
Takeaways
Social media platforms have policies and community guidelines that outline acceptable behavior for their users. Violations of these policies can result in consequences such as temporary or permanent suspension of a user's account.
It's important to note that social media bans are not permanent and the length and terms of these bans can vary. In Trump's case, Facebook's ban was initially indefinite and was since reviewed by the company's independent oversight board.
Contributors
