Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube.
Michael Newberg | CNBC
YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki said Thursday that the platform will lift the suspension of former President Donald Trump’s account once the risk of violence decreases.
The video-sharing site, owned by Google, first suspended the account on Jan. 12, nearly a week after the U.S. Capitol uprising, as lawmakers tried to certify President Joe Biden’s election victory. Facebook and Twitter had previously suspended Trump’s accounts, citing the risk of further violence. YouTube said Trump’s account had tried to upload a video that violated his policies and gave him an automatic seven-day suspension under his policies. He later extended that suspension.
“I want to confirm that we will lift the suspension of the channel … when we determine that the risk of violence has decreased,” Wojcicki said at an event hosted by Atlantic Council, a think tank. He said he would continue to be subject to the same policies as other accounts.
“Where we are today it is very difficult for me to say when it will be, but it is clear that right now where we stand there is a high risk of violence,” he said.
Wojcicki said the company will examine several signals to determine if the risk has changed. These include government statements and warnings, a greater presence of law enforcement and rhetorical YouTube monitors on their own platform.
While Wojcicki was clear that he expects YouTube to restore Trump’s account, Twitter has said Trump’s suspension is permanent. Facebook has said its suspension is indefinite and has referred the ban to its independent Supervisory Board for review. Until he receives a suggestion from that board, Facebook said Trump’s suspension would remain in place.
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