Meta announced its decision to lift restrictions on former President Donald Trump’s Instagram and Facebook accounts, aiming for equal treatment of all presidential candidates ahead of the 2024 US Presidential Election.

Initially reinstated in January 2023, Trump’s accounts faced stricter penalties than other users on Meta’s platforms, including potential suspensions and advertising limitations for rule violations. Despite this, neither account breached Meta’s policies during the restriction period.

The decision to remove restrictions stemmed from concerns that even minor infractions could lead to severe penalties, potentially impacting Trump’s ability to reach voters close to the election. While the stricter penalties are being lifted, Meta retains the right to restrict the distribution of problematic posts from Trump or other accounts, even if they do not explicitly violate platform rules, such as those indirectly referencing groups like QAnon.

Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global affairs, emphasized the importance of equal access to social media platforms for presidential candidates. He highlighted that stricter penalties were introduced in response to specific circumstances and were no longer deemed necessary.

The move follows Meta’s ban of Trump and other social media platforms after the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack, citing concerns overrule violations and potential incitement to violence. Trump subsequently launched Truth Social, his own social network, primarily used for campaign communications. Despite Twitter (now X) reinstating Trump’s account post-acquisition by Elon Musk, Trump's activity there has been limited due to his focus on Truth Social. His campaign continues to advertise on Facebook, while he remains banned from Snapchat.

Meta’s decision reflects broader efforts by tech companies to revisit policies introduced during critical events, such as COVID-19 misinformation rules and election integrity policies on platforms like YouTube.

Moving forward, Meta plans periodic reviews of accounts under similar restrictions, guided by its responsibility and recommendations from an independent Oversight Board, ensuring a balance between political expression, platform safety, and policy enforcement as the 2024 election approaches.