Twitter Confirms Trump Could Be Banned After Inauguration Day For Repeated Violations

Topline

Warning labels and fact checks have not stopped President Trump from continuing to spread conspiracy theories and use violent rhetoric on Twitter, but after Inauguration Day, those kinds of tweets could land the outgoing president in hot water, and eventually cause him to be banned by the platform, a Twitter spokesperson told Forbes Thursday.

Key Facts

What To Watch For 

Twitter does not have a specific limit on the number of times a user can break its rule before it bans the user entirely, and weighs many factors when deciding how to enforce its rules. 

Crucial Quote

On Tuesday, Trump threatened to veto a defense spending bill if Congress does not act to repeal Section 230, a legal shield for Big Tech platforms, prompting speculation the president was concerned about a ban by Twitter or other social media sites. Section 230 gives social media platforms the power to moderate content in “good faith,” and protects them from lawsuits relating to speech on their site.

Key Background 

Even before he launched a career in politics, Trump used Twitter as his megaphone. Since joining Twitter in 2009, Trump has tweeted more than 58,000 times. In office, the platform has allowed the president to bypass the media and reach millions of users at a moment’s notice. After Election Day, Trump flooded the platform with baseless conspiracy theories about election fraud and false claims that he won the election. “I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!” Trump tweeted on November 7, hours before all major networks called the election for President-elect Joe Biden. Twitter has fact-checked most of the president’s false tweets, even as they rack up hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of interactions. However, studies have shown some of Twitter’s actions have slowed the spread of conspiracy theories.  

Big Number

50%. That’s the percentage of Trump tweets Twitter labeled in the two days following Election Day, according to a Forbes tally. 

Chief Critic

Trump’s tweets have become such a pervasive force in politics, President-elect Joe Biden made a point to claim during the campaign: “You won’t have to worry about my tweets when I’m president.”

Surprising Fact

In late November, Twitter announced it would hand over the @POTUS handle to Biden on January 20, even if Trump doesn’t concede. 

Further Reading

The Technology 202: Trump’s Twitter feed is covered in warning labels (Washington Post)

Half Of Trump’s Twitter And Facebook Posts Since Election Day Flagged (Forbes)

What Is Section 230—And Why Does Trump Want To Change It? (Forbes)

Twitter Will Give ‘@POTUS’ Account To Biden On Jan. 20, Even If Trump Doesn’t Concede (Forbes)