Mark Zuckerberg's Meta has agreed to pay US President Donald Trump $25 million (€24 million) to settle a 2021 lawsuit for censoring his Facebook and Instagram accounts after the US Capitol riot.
According to The Guardian, Trump in 2021 filed a lawsuit against the social media company for suspending his accounts after the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. Almost three years after Meta has agreed to pay $25 million in a settlement.
The settlement that was first reported by the Wall Street Journal was later reported by a Meta spokesperson.
As per a Wall Street Journal report, the major part of the fund's $22 million will be used to pay for Trump’s presidential library, while the remaining money will be paid for legal fees and go to other plaintiffs listed in the case.
Trump, after the suspension of his account in 2021, said, “They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this censoring and silencing, and ultimately, we will win. Our country can’t take this abuse anymore!”
“Next time I’m in the White House, there will be no more dinners, at his request, with Mark Zuckerberg and his wife. It will be all business!” he later warned.
Moreover, Facebook back in 2021 suspended Trump’s account shortly after the insurrection at the Capitol for spreading false news about winning the 2020 presidential election after breaking its hands-off approach for political leaders.
The social media platform upgraded its rule and allowed the suspension of lawmakers in “exceptional cases” during periods of civil unrest and violence.
