Social platforms flex their power, lock down Trump accounts

Pro-Trump protesters storm into the US Capitol during clashes with police in Washington, US. Trump has repeatedly harnessed the power of social media to spread falsehoods about election integrity and the results of the presidential race. — Reuters

After years of treating President Donald Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric with a light touch, Facebook and Instagram are silencing his social media accounts for the rest of his presidency. The move, which many called long overdue following Wednesday’s deadly insurrection at the US Capitol, is also a reminder of the enormous power that social-media platforms can wield when they choose.

Facebook and Instagram said Jan 7 they will bar Trump from posting at least until the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. Twitter said Thursday that it’s still evaluating whether to lift or extend what started as a 12-hour lockdown of Trump’s account.