Facebook Seeks Support For Trump Suspension From Independent Board

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd January, 2021) Facebook's independent Oversight Board will have the final say in whether former US President Donald Trump's indefinite ban will become permanent, the social media giant said in a press release on Thursday.

"Today, Facebook is referring its decision to indefinitely suspend former US President Donald Trump's access to his Facebook and Instagram accounts to the independent Oversight Board," the release said.

The release described the board an independent body whose decisions are binding: "They can't be overruled by CEO Mark Zuckerberg or anyone else at Facebook."

The release also included a vigorous defense of the Trump ban, which was imposed the day after a November 6 riot at the US Capitol by a group of the former president supporters who sought to protest the certification by lawmakers of elector slates from US states that Trump claims were invalid and robbed him of election victory.

"We hope, given the clear justification for our actions on January 7, that it will uphold the choices we made," the release said.

Facebook said it suspended Trump for violating a company policy banning use of the platform to incite violence.

The riot was preceded by a campaign-style rally near the White House, in which Trump urged his supporters to protest Congress' certification of the disputed electors by marching to Capitol Hill.