A Facebook-appointed panel of journalists, activists and lawyers on Wednesday upheld the social network’s ban of former President Donald J. Trump, ending any immediate return by Trump to mainstream social media and renewing a debate about tech power over online speech.

Facebook’s oversight board, which acts as a quasi-court over the company’s content decisions, said the social network was right to bar Trump after the insurrection in Washington in January, saying he “created an environment where a serious risk of violence was possible”. The panel said the ongoing risk of violence “justified” the move.

But the board also said that an indefinite suspension was “not appropriate”, and that the company should apply a “defined penalty”. The board gave Facebook six months to make its final decision on Trump’s account status.

“Our sole job is to hold this extremely powerful organisation, Facebook, to be held accountable,” Michael McConnell, co-chair of the board, told reporters. The ban on Trump “did not meet these standards”, he said.

The decision adds difficulties to Trump rejoining mainstream social media, which he had used during his White House years to cajole, set policy, criticise opponents and rile up his tens of millions of followers. Twitter and YouTube had also cut off Trump in January after the insurrection at the Capitol building, saying the risk of harm and the potential for violence that he created were too great.

New York Times News Service