YouTube announced on Friday that it has lifted the restrictions placed on former US President Donald Trump‘s account. This follows other social media platforms that have also reinstated full access to Trump’s accounts in recent months. The move is seen as a test for social media services ahead of the upcoming US presidential election.
According to Leslie Miller, YouTube’s vice-president of public policy, the decision was made after careful evaluation of the continued risk of real-world violence, balancing it with the importance of preserving the opportunity for voters to hear equally from major national candidates in the run-up to an election. However, Trump’s channel will continue to be subject to YouTube’s policies, just like any other channel.
Two years ago, several tech companies moved to curtail Trump’s presence online following a violent mob of supporters who stormed the Capitol on January 6. Trump had been using mainstream platforms to engage with his followers and spread misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic and the US presidential elections.
YouTube had prevented Trump from uploading new videos after his account aired his first address to reporters following the insurrection. However, the social media services have recently removed the restrictions and are now monitoring Trump’s account activity more closely.
While Meta Platforms Inc.’s Facebook had placed limits on Trump’s account, Twitter enacted a permanent ban at the time. However, under new CEO Elon Musk, Twitter has since reversed Trump’s ban completely after conducting a poll of users. Meta said Trump would be subject to “heightened penalties for repeat offenses” on Facebook.
YouTube said that it constantly monitors emerging issues and violent rhetoric across platforms and government security alerts. The company had always intended to lift its restrictions when it determined that the risk of real-world violence related to Trump’s account had reduced.