Congressman LaHood calls former President Trump’s Facebook ban a ‘terrible precedent’

Posted on May 5, 2021
Darin LaHood
U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (Photo courtesy Facebook/Darin LaHood)

By Blake Haas

BLOOMINGTON – According to one Central Illinois lawmaker, Facebook’s Oversight Board decision to continue the network’s ban of former President Donald Trump’s social media accounts set’s a ‘terrible precedent.’

On Wednesday, a Facebook-appointed panel of lawyers, journalists, and activists announced their decision to continue the former President’s ban after the social network reports Trump used the site to form an insurrection in Washington in January.

Congressman Darin LaHood (R-Dunlap) said the platform’s decision to continue the ban, more than four months after the insurrection is ‘fundamental unfairness.’

“I think it’s a terrible precedent when you have these tech companies making decisions on who should be on their platforms and who should not. What gives Twitter or Facebook or these other social networking platforms the ability to decide if they don’t like somebody’s political views or don’t like the way somebody stands on the issue that they can make that decision.

I think there is a fundamental unfairness with that. And I don’t think the justification is accurate. I don’t think foundationally or otherwise; it’s the right thing to do.”

Speaking with WJBC’s Scott Miller, the Dunlap Republican said he supports getting rid of Section 230, which protects tech companies from becoming liable for their users’ content.

“I think many other people are disappointed in these tech companies and the power and the authority that they have. That’s why I’ve supported in Congress getting rid of Section 230 liability protection for these tech companies. That was put in place 20-years ago for little start-ups, not billion-dollar companies that are making ungodly amounts of money. I think given these, again, these tech companies the ability to decide what people can hear and see is un-American.”

LISTEN: Congressman Darin LaHood spoke with WJBC’s Scott Miller. 

Both YouTube and Twitter have also barred the former President after the insurrection at the Capitol.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

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