Facebook & YouTube Remove Trump Video Praising Capitol Rioters

Social Media Platforms Take Action Against Presidential Content

In a swift response to escalating tensions, Facebook and YouTube removed a video featuring former President Donald Trump addressing supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. The controversial footage showed Trump calling the rioters “very special” while stating “we love you” – remarks that platforms deemed inflammatory.

Key Developments:

• Facebook removed the video entirely, citing emergency protocols
• YouTube deleted the content for violating election misinformation policies
• Twitter restricted engagement (replies, retweets, likes) with a violence warning

Timeline of Events

At approximately 5 PM EST, Trump posted the now-removed video that:

1. Repeated baseless claims about election fraud
2. Told rioters “you have to go home now”
3. Included the phrase “we love you, you’re very special”

Facebook’s VP of Integrity Guy Rosen explained the decision on Twitter:

“We removed it because on balance we believe it contributes to rather than diminishes the risk of ongoing violence.”

Platform Enforcement Precedents

This wasn’t the first time tech companies moderated Trump’s content:

• August 2020: Facebook removed a video with false COVID-19 claims about children’s immunity
• December 2020: YouTube implemented policies against election fraud misinformation

YouTube’s Stance

A company spokesperson stated:

“We removed content violating our policies regarding claims that widespread fraud changed the election outcome.”

The platform noted such content could remain with proper educational context.

Ongoing Situation

As the events unfolded:

• Other social media platforms grappled with violent content from the Capitol breach
• Experts debated the balance between free speech and public safety
• The incident marked a pivotal moment in content moderation history

This story was developing at the time of reporting.

Related: Analysis of social media’s role in the Capitol riots

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