Facebook has stated that Donald Trump's ban from the platform could be lifted in 2023 if his "risk to public safety has receded".

The former POTUS was suspended from both Facebook and Instagram for an indefinite period in January. It came as a result of the 74-year-old's actions before and during the US Capitol insurrection on January 6.

He was also banned from other social media sites such as Twitter and Snapchat.

Facebook has said in a statement on Friday that a two-year ban was decided on "to allow a safe period of time after the acts of incitement, to be significant enough to be a deterrent to Mr. Trump and others from committing such severe violations in future, and to be proportionate to the gravity of the violation itself."

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It continued: "At the end of this period, we will look to experts to assess whether the risk to public safety has receded. We will evaluate external factors, including instances of violence, restrictions on peaceful assembly and other markers of civil unrest.

"If we determine that there is still a serious risk to public safety, we will extend the restriction for a set period of time and continue to re-evaluate until that risk has receded."

The statement added that if Trump returns to Facebook after the two-year period, "there will be a strict set of rapidly escalating sanctions that will be triggered if Mr. Trump commits further violations in future, up to and including permanent removal of his pages and accounts."

Trump had appealed the ban to Facebook's Oversight Board, which upheld the decision but noted that the penalty needed to be reassessed as the "indefinite" suspension period was too vague.

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In May 2021, the Oversight Board said in a statement: "The Oversight Board has upheld Facebook's decision to suspend Mr. Trump's access to post content on Facebook and Instagram on January 7, 2021. However, as Facebook suspended Mr. Trump's accounts 'indefinitely,' the company must reassess this penalty.

"Within six months of this decision, Facebook must re-examine the arbitrary penalty that it imposed on 7 January and decide the appropriate penalty. This penalty must be based on the gravity of the violation and the prospect of future harm."

It continued: "It must also be consistent with Facebook's rules for severe violations, which must, in turn, be clear, necessary, and proportionate. If Facebook decides to restore Mr. Trump's accounts, the company should apply its rules to that decision, including any changes made in response to the Board's policy recommendations below.

"In this scenario, Facebook must address any further violations promptly and in accordance with its established content policies."

Following the ruling by the board, Facebook announced on Friday, June 4, that it would make its penalties in "exceptional cases" more transparent. It also clarified that the ex-president's account would be suspended for at least two years:

"We are today announcing new enforcement protocols to be applied in exceptional cases such as this, and we are confirming the time-bound penalty consistent with those protocols which we are applying to Mr. Trump's accounts.

"Given the gravity of the circumstances that led to Mr. Trump's suspension, we believe his actions constituted a severe violation of our rules which merit the highest penalty available under the new enforcement protocols.

"We are suspending his accounts for two years, effective from the date of the initial suspension on January 7 this year."

This comes after it emerged that Trump's personal blog, which he used to post statements after his social media ban, had been permanently shut down.

Featured image credit: Dennis Brack / Alamy

Facebook says Trump ban could be lifted in 2023 if his 'risk to public safety has receded'