YouTube, the world’s number one video streaming service has lifted restrictions on former President Donald Trump’s YouTube account. The video company owned by Alphabet ($GOOG) announced on Twitter that the channel is no longer restricted and can upload new material.
“We carefully evaluated the continued risk of real-world violence, while balancing the chance for voters to hear equally from major national candidates in the run up to an election,” it said via the YouTubeInsider account. “This channel will continue to be subject to our policies, just like any other channel on YouTube.”
1/ Starting today, the Donald J. Trump channel is no longer restricted and can upload new content. We carefully evaluated the continued risk of real-world violence, while balancing the chance for voters to hear equally from major national candidates in the run up to an election.
— YouTubeInsider (@YouTubeInsider) March 17, 2023
Trump was suspended from YouTube after the January 6th, 2021, riot at the US Capitol. The site removed a video that it said violated its policies against inciting violence, and it banned Trump from uploading new content — first for a one-week period and then indefinitely. However.
YouTube remained equivocal about whether the ban would be permanent. In May of that year, CEO Susan Wojcicki said the ban would be lifted after the risk of further violent incitement abated.
YouTube’s tweet intimates to the fact that Trump is now an official candidate for the 2024 Republican primary, a role that will put him in the spotlight after years of relative reclusion.
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram also lifted their suspensions on the account. How this plays into Trump’s arrangement with Truth Social remains to be seen, given the facrt that he signed a social media exclusivity deal in early 2022, that he’s reportedly trying to wind down.