Facebook Oversight Board receives appeal from 'user' on behalf of Trump to restore accounts
The board has 90 days to make a decision on the case
Facebook's independent Oversight Board has received an appeal on behalf of former President Donald Trump.
The board – which was created last year and has been described as a de facto Supreme Court – told FOX Business on Wednesday that a comment from the user had been received in the case.
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"We can confirm that a user statement has been received in the case before the Oversight Board concerning President Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts," a spokesperson said. "We will have no further comment concerning that statement until the board has issued its decision.”
Channel 4 News first reported the move.
Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts were suspended on the day after the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
President Donald Trump walks to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on Jan. 12, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File )
"We believe the risks of allowing the president to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said at the time. "Therefore, we are extending the block we have placed on his Facebook and Instagram accounts indefinitely and for at least the next two weeks until the peaceful transition of power is complete."
On Jan. 21, the board announced it would review the decision to revoke Trump's access and that it would receive comment from the public on the issue.
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"We recognise the level of interest in our case regarding former US President Trump," the board wrote in a series of tweets on Jan. 29. "We encourage people and organizations to share their insights through our public comments process."
Thousands of responses poured in ahead of the deadline – the most the board has had for any case thus far, Reuters reported.
The Oversight Board has 90 days to make a decision on the case – one which Facebook is not able to overturn.
Facebook Vice President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg in January wrote in defense of the board's actions.
"We believe our decision was necessary and right," he said.
"Our decision to suspend then-President Trump’s access was taken in extraordinary circumstances: a US president actively fomenting a violent insurrection designed to thwart the peaceful transition of power; five people killed; legislators fleeing the seat of democracy," Clegg continued.
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"This has never happened before – and we hope it will never happen again. It was an unprecedented set of events which called for unprecedented action," he concluded.
A spokesperson for the former president did not respond to FOX Business' request for comment.