In an unprecedented move, Twitter owner Elon Musk has lifted the "permanent suspension" of former US President Donald Trump's account.
Elon Musk conducted a poll on Twitter asking users . if they wanted Donald Trump to return to the platform, and the majority responded positively
The @realDonaldTrump account is now active again, along with all its data and followers, as it was before Trump received a "permanent ban."
Twitter's recent shift is due to 52% of respondents voting in favor of Trump's return, in the poll launched by CEO Elon Musk (there were 15,000,000 votes in total).
See also: Elon Musk to employees: Commit to 'hardcore Twitter' or you'll be fired
“The people have spoken. Trump will return. Voice of the people, voice of God,” Musk tweeted.
The decision has left Twitter users divided. Many people are unhappy with the situation.
The “permanent” suspension isn’t so permanent after all
In January 2021, following the Capitol riots, Twitter banned Donald Trump from its platform, citing that his tweets could contribute to more violence in America.
Twitter provided various explanations at the time for why it decided to permanently remove Trump from the platform. Specifically, it said it made this decision for the following reasons:
- President Trump's statement that he would not attend the inauguration of the new administration was welcomed by several of his supporters as further confirmation that the election was not legitimate.
- The tweet could also be interpreted as encouragement for anyone thinking of using violence at the swearing-in, given that he himself would not be present.
- The designation “American Patriots” for some of his supporters could be interpreted as a sign of support for those who committed violent acts on the Capitol.
- By saying that his supporters have a “BIG VOICE for a long time to come” and that “they will not be treated unfairly or disrespectfully…,” President Trump implied that he would not facilitate a peaceful transfer of power. Instead, he planned to continue supporting those who believed he rightfully won the election.
- “People have already begun making plans for future armed protests, both on and off Twitter. This includes a proposed secondary attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 17, 2021,” Twitter said at the time.
See also: Elon Musk to Twitter staff: End of remote work
Donald Trump is no longer interested in Twitter
Despite activating his account thanks to Elon Musk and his poll, Donald Trump doesn't seem eager to return to Twitter.
At the annual Republican Jewish Coalition leadership meeting over the weekend, Trump responded to a related question:
“[Elon] did a poll and I hear it’s overwhelming, very strong.” However, he said he prefers his own platform, “Truth Social,” which he says is doing “extremely well” in terms of engagement.
"I see no reason to return to Twitter," Donald Trump responded, citing many problems with the platform, including the many bots.
See also: Celebrities leave Twitter because of Elon Musk
At the same time, Mastodon has seen tremendous growth, with millions of people migrating to the platform amid ongoing dissatisfaction with Twitter.
Musk has previously said he intends to allow Trump back on the platform. However, if Trump were to return to Twitter, the move would raise questions about his commitment to Truth Social, which launched on Apple's App Store in February and Google's Play Store in October. Trump has about 4.57 million followers on Truth Social.
The decision to bring Donald Trump back joins a long list of changes at Twitter since Musk took control. These changes include leadership changes , a large number of layoffs and resignations , the introduction of a new paid account verification system , etc. Time will tell how all of this will continue.
Source: www.bleepingcomputer.com
