Former President Donald Trump files lawsuits on Wednesday against Google, Facebook, and Twitter alleging censorship. The lawsuit will seek punitive damages, with Donald Trump’s lawyer saying, “This is an unprecedented act of censorship in America that should concern every freedom-loving person.”
The lawsuits come after trump was banned from several social media platforms earlier in the year. Facebook, Twitter, and Google-owned YouTube booted Trump in the wake of the deadly US Capitol riot on Jan 6th, citing concerns that he would incite more violence. During a press conference, Trump said the lawsuit will provide for compensatory damages to be paid by the social media companies.
“We’re not looking to settle,”
Trump said.
Why is Donald Trump banned from Twitter and other social media platforms?
Donald Trump was banned from several social media platforms in the US earlier during the elections. The bans come after trump encouraged his supporters to physically assault a protester at one of his rallies, which resulted in dozens of injuries and arrests. Facebook, Twitter, and Google’s YouTube booted Trump, saying they are concerned that the president will incite more violence on their platform.
What happened during the Capitol riots on Jan 6th?
On January sixth, the US Capitol became a scene of chaos as hundreds of protesters gathered to demand access for asylum seekers. The number grew and began assaulting police officers with rocks, bottles, and sticks before law enforcement responded with chemical weapons that sent many people running from the area. One officer was killed during this time frame.
During his first press conference following these events, President Trump claimed there were “bad actors” on both sides- an accusation which some have interpreted as suggesting moral equivalency between white nationalists chanting racist slogans and those protesting against them in anger over what they see as Americans being denied their basic rights because of their skin color or religious beliefs. He also blamed members of Congress for not doing enough to stop violence at protests like these.
The President slammed social media companies for discriminating against conservatives and claimed he has been censored on multiple platforms since then, leading to the lawsuit with Google, Facebook, and Twitter CEOs that was filed Wednesday morning in a San Francisco court.
While Facebook and Google are yet to comment on this lawsuit, Twitter denied commenting on it when asked by CNN. Social media platforms are already in the heat of many lawsuits and reformations by the Biden government.
