YouTube Lifts Donald Trump's Channel Ban: I'm Back!

Youtube (Photo: Green Wish / Pexels)

JAKARTA - YouTube has just lifted the ban on former President of the United States (US) Donald Trump. Now, he can re-upload his activities on the platform.

"Starting today, Donald J. Trump's channel is no longer limited and the ability to upload new content is restored," said Youtube vice president for public policy, Leslie Miller.

"We are carefully evaluating the continuing risks of real-world violence, balancing it with the importance of keeping the opportunity for voters to hear equally from the main national candidate ahead of the election. This channel will continue to comply with our policies, just like any other channel on YouTube," he added.

Trump's account was actually never removed from Youtube. Because he violated his policy by inciting violence, the Google-owned platform gave him an indefinite suspension.

Since then, the channel that has 2.6 million subscribers has not been able to upload new videos, and YouTube has said it will allow it back when the risk of real-world violence has eased.

Trump, whose account is now back, was observed by VOI to have uploaded a short video entitled I'M BACK, with a clip containing a brief statement, "Sorry to keep you waiting. A complicated business," Trump said.

YouTube's move follows in the footsteps of the social networking giant Meta, which restored Trump's accounts on Facebook and Instagram in January, with a new fence.

On Facebook, Trump has 34 million followers and has posted the same as on YouTube, as quoted by SCMP, Saturday, March 18.

Meanwhile, his Twitter account, which has 87 million followers, has also been reactivated by new owner Elon Musk since November last year. However, he hasn't uploaded a tweet at all.

Trump has been banned on social media since sparking riots in which supporters stormed the US Capitol Building on January 6, 2021, in protest of his election defeat to Joe Biden.