The siege of Capitol Hill, in which a mob of passionate Trump supporters stormed the US capitol in an attempt to slow certification of the election results, has quickly become a hot topic. A tweet by President Donald Trump that has recently been deleted by Twitter, reads, “These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long.” This tweet, on Wednesday, the 6th, along with a few others resulted in the temporary, and now permanent, suspension of his account.  

Twitter is not alone in blocking President Trump’s access to the population. Various other social media platforms have taken part in the action by banning or blocking his messages. In the current political climate, tensions between users build, and with them does criticism of the platform itself. Users as well as public figures in general have come together to rally their points on the negative effects of allowing Trump to continue on social networking, As a result, companies have transitioned from their priorly hands-off methods. 

One very notable social media owner, Mike Zuckerberg, has made the decision to suspend Donald Trump’s account on Facebook and Instagram. In his words, coming from a Facebook post, “We believe the risks of allowing the president to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great. 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.”

Many other social media platforms have chosen to lower Trump’s reach. YouTube and TikTok no longer promote his content and have taken down many of his videos. Snapchat, Reddit, Gab, and Parlar are all flagging his messages or taking them down altogether. Even Twitch and Discord have joined in limiting his reach. 

Social media’s reach on the public is undeniable. The future of the president’s relationship with it is unknown, but it will be a determining factor in his ability to communicate with his supporters and opposers.