Big Tech must end the amplification of Trump’s calls for violence

An image of Donald Trump's face next to logos of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. being crossed out. The text reads, "Big Tech must permanently ban Trump from their platforms.

John, 

This weekend, disgraced former President Donald Trump once again called for violence to avoid accountability — Big Tech are, again, his accomplices. On his Truth Social platform, Trump called on his supporters to “take our nation back” as the Manhattan district attorney’s office prepares to indict him this week.1,2 Almost immediately, his followers began openly discussing on social media platforms what violence would stop the indictment.

Color Of Change has warned Big Tech companies that Trump and his supporters would once again use Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms to organize and foment violence if his accounts were restored. If we want to prevent another moment like the deadly Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection, then Big Tech companies must permanently ban Trump.

Since the start of 2023, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube have all welcomed back Trump to their platforms.3 They claim the risk Trump poses to public safety has “sufficiently receded” or his accounts are under “careful evaluation,” despite evidence to the contrary. By restoring his accounts, Big Tech corporations are diminishing the continued threat of white nationalist violence that Trump continuously encourages.4,5

Big Tech’s assessment is clearly flawed: It hasn’t even been a week since Trump’s YouTube account went live before he made his most recent veiled threats to incite violence and intimidation — a replay of his rallying cries on Jan. 6. There are no guardrails or policy adjustments Big Tech can enact to protect us from Trump leveraging their platforms to encourage white supremacist violence against our communities and democracy. The only solution is to permanently ban Trump from all social media platforms. Tell Big Tech to put people over profits.

BIG TECH, BAN TRUMP!

Until Justice Is Real,

The COC Tech Accountability Team

References:

  1. Kayla Gogarty, “As Trump called for protests, Meta profited from his newly reinstated Facebook page,” Media Matters, March 19, 2023, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/390419?t=6&akid=56186%2E4731121%2EXOcgI6. 
  2. Dan Mangan, “New York law enforcement preparing for possible Trump indictment in porn star payoff case,” CNBC, March 17, 2023, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/390420?t=8&akid=56186%2E4731121%2EXOcgI6. 
  3. Lisa Lambert and Dara Kerr, “‘I’M BACK!’ Trump posts on Facebook, YouTube for first time in two years,”  https://act.colorofchange.org/go/390421?t=10&akid=56186%2E4731121%2EXOcgI6. 
  4. Nick Clegg, “ending suspension of Trump’s accounts with new guardrails to deter repeat offenses,” Meta, January 25, 2023, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/390422?t=12&akid=56186%2E4731121%2EXOcgI6. 
  5. Sara Fischer, “Scoop: YouTube restores Trump’s channel,” Axios, March 17, 2023, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/390423?t=14&akid=56186%2E4731121%2EXOcgI6.