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On Friday, Facebook issued a new set of rules for how it will respond to public figures who violate its content policies. Along with these standards, the company announced that former president Donald Trump will be suspended from Facebook for two years. Under the new rules, public figures who post content that breaks platform policy “during times of civil unrest and ongoing violence” may be penalized between one month and two years. Trump, who was blocked from the platform in the wake of the Capitol riots, has become a test case for this new rule. In a statement, Nick Clegg, Facebook VP of Global Affairs, wrote that at the end of the two-year period the company will consult with experts to assess any risks to public safety that reinstating his account might have. Critics claim the move isn’t strong enough. The political activist group Decode Democracy said, “Trump has proven he will spread [disinformation] on the platform as soon as he’s given the chance. Facebook should permanently ban Trump based on the totality of his behavior. Failing to do so risks more violence and attacks on our democracy.” Many, including some at Facebook , were quick to point out that Trump’s ban will end just in time for a possible 2024 presidential run. Clegg writes that the company will take into account “external factors, including instances of violence, restrictions on peaceful assembly, and other markers of civil unrest.” If there is still a risk, the company will continue the account restriction and reevaluate within a set period of time until experts believe it is safe enough to bring it back online. However, if the account is reactivated, Facebook says it will continue monitoring it closely. “There will be a strict set of rapidly escalating sanctions that will be triggered if Mr. Trump commits further violations in the future, up to and including permanent removal of his pages and accounts,” Clegg writes. Read More …