The Verge - Platforms take action against Trump after Capitol mob attackhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52801/VER_Logomark_32x32..png2022-11-19T21:26:55-05:00http://www.theverge.com/rss/stream/219828462022-11-19T21:26:55-05:002022-11-19T21:26:55-05:00Elon Musk says he’s letting Donald Trump back on Twitter
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<figcaption>Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="zKlGkM">Donald Trump is allowed to rejoin Twitter, <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1594131768298315777">Elon Musk has announced</a>. Musk justified that decision based on the results of his own personal Twitter poll. The <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump">@realDonaldTrump</a> account and its tweets are fully visible again, just days after Trump confirmed <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/23436640/donald-trump-announce-run-presidential-campaign-2024">he will run for president again</a> in 2024. </p>
<p id="fUpGjn">Shortly after taking control of the social network, Musk said he wouldn’t be reinstating any banned accounts until the company had set up and convened a content moderation council with “widely diverse viewpoints.”</p>
<p id="SRcuEz">Instead, on Friday evening, as people drifted off for the pre-Thanksgiving weekend, he decided to poll his own followers on Twitter. “Reinstate former President Trump,” he <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1593767953706921985">tweeted</a>, alongside a poll with buttons to pick “Yes” or “No.” </p>
<p id="P2eYSF">“...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/19/23467280/donald-trump-twitter-back-elon-musk-pollJames VincentSean Hollister2021-05-05T14:10:49-04:002021-05-05T14:10:49-04:00Facebook has no reason to ever resolve the Trump ban
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<figcaption>Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge</figcaption>
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<p id="WIpHQY">After months of waiting, today Facebook’s Oversight Board <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/5/5/22320329/facebook-oversight-board-trump-ban-decision">finally handed down</a> the biggest ruling of its short existence — the question of whether to uphold the ban on Donald Trump. The verdict? Send the question back to Facebook, and give them six more months to decide.</p>
<p id="zak47n">In fairness, it wasn’t quite that bad. The initial ban was upheld, and the board <a href="https://oversightboard.com/decision/FB-691QAMHJ/">made specific rulings</a> on the questions of whether Trump’s posts were inciting violence, and whether world leaders should get special treatment. For now, Facebook can continue to block Trump, which means that on the face of it, this is a win for anti-Trumpers. Unless you’re visiting his self-hosted website, you’ll remain blessedly safe from Trump posts.</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><aside id="QiG0V5"><q>“an endless cycle of uncertainty”</q></aside></div>
<p id="UJuF0J">But...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2021/5/5/22421334/facebook-donald-trump-oversight-board-ban-decision-criticismRussell Brandom2021-03-10T17:08:48-05:002021-03-10T17:08:48-05:00Apple reportedly denies Parler’s App Store appeal, citing derogatory terms and ‘Nazi symbols’
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<figcaption>Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge</figcaption>
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<p id="u9cLIw">Apple has reportedly denied social media company Parler’s bid to reenter the iOS App Store, saying its platform hasn’t addressed problems with offensive content. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-10/parler-cuts-ios-team-after-apple-blocks-return-to-app-store"><em>Bloomberg</em> reported the news earlier today</a>, quoting a message reportedly sent on February 25th.</p>
<p id="AVsGFX">According to <em>Bloomberg</em>, Apple said that Parler’s <a href="https://legal.parler.com/documents/guidelines.pdf">latest community guidelines</a> still didn’t meet its standards. “Simple searches reveal highly objectionable content, including easily identified offensive uses of derogatory terms regarding race, religion and sexual orientation, as well as Nazi symbols,” it reportedly told Parler. “For these reasons your app cannot be returned to the App Store for distribution until it complies with the guidelines.”</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><aside id="eUzW2M"><q>“Parler expects and hopes to keep...</q></aside></div>
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https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/10/22324028/apple-parler-app-store-ban-upheld-nazi-symbolsAdi Robertson2021-02-17T19:47:22-05:002021-02-17T19:47:22-05:00Trump’s campaign app was suspended from the Google Play Store because it didn’t work
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<figcaption>Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="rjT9Ft">Google removed former president Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign app from Google’s Play Store earlier Wednesday. It wasn’t removed for any of the many other reasons that Trump <a href="https://www.theverge.com/22218805/donald-trump-platforms-bans-facebook-twitter-youtube">has been removed from the world’s largest platforms</a>, but rather because it just didn't work, <a href="https://www.androidpolice.com/2021/02/17/donald-trumps-official-app-has-been-suspended-from-the-google-play-store-no-longer-works/"><em>Android Police </em>reports</a>.</p>
<p id="wUtFBm">Prior to its suspension, the app provided campaign news, an event schedule, and ways to donate to the campaign, but at some point, it stopped working, prompting Google to take it down. <em>Android Police</em> confirmed that the app was non-functional before Google removed it. When <em>Android Police</em> tested the app, it was “unable to load content, reporting a network error or simply spinning a loading ‘T’ circle endlessly.” The iOS version of the app is still on the...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/17/22288201/official-trump-2020-app-removed-google-play-storeIan Carlos Campbell2021-01-21T12:28:29-05:002021-01-21T12:28:29-05:00Facebook’s Trump ban will be reviewed by its new Oversight Board
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<figcaption>Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge</figcaption>
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<p id="F01qOa">Facebook vice president Nick Clegg says the company is referring its decision to indefinitely suspend former President Trump from its platform to its newly established Oversight Board for a complete review. Trump’s <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/7/22218725/facebook-trump-ban-extended-capitol-riot-insurrection-block">Facebook account was suspended indefinitely</a> on January 7th after he incited his followers to attack the US Capitol on January 6th. Six people died in the ensuing riots. </p>
<p id="3VeGl3">Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said at the time that “the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service... are simply too great.”</p>
<aside id="4xFl6f"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Facebook bans Trump ‘indefinitely’","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/7/22218725/facebook-trump-ban-extended-capitol-riot-insurrection-block"}]}'></div></aside><p id="94pyvO">“We believe our decision was necessary and right,” Clegg said in a statement. “Given its significance, we think it is important for the board to review it and reach an independent judgment on whether it should be...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/21/22242616/facebook-refers-decision-suspend-trump-oversight-boardKim Lyons2021-01-16T15:27:26-05:002021-01-16T15:27:26-05:00Facebook suspends ads for weapon accessories until at least January 22nd
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<figcaption>Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge</figcaption>
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<p id="8lsV24">Facebook has updated its Inauguration Day preparations to include a temporary ban on ads that promote weapon accessories and protective equipment at least through January 22nd “out of an abundance of caution,” <a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2021/01/preparing-for-inauguration-day/">the company said in a new blog post Saturday</a>. “We already prohibit ads for weapons, ammunition and weapon enhancements like silencers. But we will now also prohibit ads for accessories such as gun safes, vests and gun holsters in the US,” the statement reads.</p>
<p id="Wj1uNN">The ban comes after Facebook was criticized for <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/01/13/facebook-role-in-capitol-protest/">allowing posts across its platforms</a> that promoted and organized the deadly January 6th attack on the Capitol building. The ads for military gear such as body armor and gun holsters ran next to Facebook and Instagram posts about...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/16/22234810/facebook-suspends-ads-weapon-accessories-inauguration-capitol-riotKim Lyons2021-01-16T12:02:00-05:002021-01-16T12:02:00-05:00Some Twitter employees have reportedly locked their accounts fearing reprisal from Trump supporters
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<figcaption>Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge</figcaption>
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<p id="QnXLve">Some Twitter employees have set their accounts to private and scrubbed their online biographies over concerns they may be targeted by supporters of President Trump, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/16/technology/inside-twitter-decision-trump.html">the <em>New York Times</em> reported.</a> In addition, some Twitter executives have been assigned personal security as the company reckons with its decision to bar one of its loudest voices. </p>
<p id="toSQFU">Trump’s @realDonaldTrump account was <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/8/22218753/twitter-bans-trump-permanently-realdonaldtrump">permanently suspended from Twitter</a> January 8th, “due to the risk of further incitement of violence,” Twitter said <a href="https://twitter.com/TwitterSafety/status/1347684877634838528?s=20">in its statement</a>. The president <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/10/us/trump-speech-riot.html">told supporters at a rally</a> just before an attack on the Capitol January 6th they would “have to show strength,” and “fight much harder,” encouraging them to walk down to the Capitol. <a href="https://projects.propublica.org/politwoops/user/realDonaldTrump">Trump tweeted</a> that Vice President...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/16/22234505/twitter-employees-locked-trump-supporters-capitol-violenceKim Lyons2021-01-16T11:00:09-05:002021-01-16T11:00:09-05:00Unlike Airbnb, VRBO reportedly won’t cancel reservations in DC during inauguration week
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<p id="wtLSps">Short-term rental site VRBO does not plan to cancel reservations in the DC area during the inauguration next week, even though competitor Airbnb has already done so. First reported by <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/katienotopoulos/vrbo-wont-cancel-inauguration-rentals"><em>BuzzFeed News</em></a>, VRBO said in a <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/8532386/type/dlg/sid/verge/https://www.vrbo.com/vacation-ideas/explore-vrbo/travel-trends/a-place-for-everyone-leaves-no-room-for-hate?" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">blog post</a> Friday afternoon that it was “encouraging hosts to cancel bookings during this time,” if they believed a guest was violating its policies, but stopped short of a blanket cancellation. </p>
<p id="cMarHa">Following the January 6th attack on the Capitol that left six people dead, <a href="https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/all-releases/2021/january/headline-891291-en.html">DC-area officials said in a joint statement</a> that they were “encouraging Americans not to come to Washington, D.C. and to instead participate virtually” in the inauguration.</p>
<p id="TRIYRM">VRBO acknowledges in its blog post that officials were “reporting the potential for...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/16/22234501/vrbo-cancel-reservations-washington-dc-inauguration-airbnb-capitolKim Lyons