YouTube: “Trump ban not permanent”
March 5, 2021
Susan Wojcicki, YouTube’s chief executive, has said the video-sharing platform may lift Donald Trump’s suspension, if the threat of “real-world violence” decreases.
Wojcicki said the Google-owned company will look at government warnings and violent rhetoric to determine when it’s safe to lift the suspension.
Trump’s YouTube account has been suspended following the Capitol Hill riot on January 6th that left five dead. He also found himself frozen out of the likes of Twitter and Instagram.
YouTube said he had violated their incitement of violence policy. “It’s pretty clear that right now where we stand, that there still is that elevated risk of violence,” Wojcicki said during an interview with the Atlantic Council.
Wojcicki clarified that the former US president’s conduct had not led to a full ban on the platform. The company operates under a three strike system and an account must receive all three strikes within 90 days to be permanently removed. The suspension in January was Trump’s first strike.