Dem
51
GOP
49
After the Jan. 6 coup attempt, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, banned Donald Trump for inciting a riot. Now it (meaning CEO Mark Zuckerberg) has changed its mind. Nick Clegg, former British politician and Meta's president for global affairs, issued a statement that said: "In assessing our responsibility to allow political expression, we believe that the American people should be able to hear from the nominees for president on the same basis."
This means that Trump will be free to lie and incite violence to his heart's content now. Meta said that what he posts will be checked and there will be penalties if he violates Meta guidelines. But in practice, the guidelines are ambiguous and Meta will not be keen on punishing someone who might be president on Jan. 20, 2025, and is famous for getting revenge. Trump will also be able to use Facebook to raise money, something he did very successfully in the past. (V)