Meta denies claims of compelling users to follow Trump accounts
The Twitter Inc. accounts of U.S. President Donald Trump, @POTUS and @realDoanldTrump, are seen on an Apple Inc. iPhone arranged for a photograph in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Friday, Jan. 27, 2017. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto canceled a visit to the White House planned for next week after Trump on Thursday reinforced his demand, via Twitter, that Mexico pay for a barrier along the U.S. southern border to stem illegal immigration. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has denied claims that it forced users to follow official accounts linked to senior figures in the new Trump administration. Following Donald Trump’s inauguration, some users reported that they were “automatically” made to follow Trump, Vice-President JD Vance, and First Lady Melania Trump.
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone clarified that the accounts were managed by the White House, which updated them to reflect the new officeholders. He emphasized that this procedure was the same as during the last presidential transition.
The accounts are named Potus (President of the United States), VicePresident, and Flotus (First Lady of the United States), with archived versions showing Joe Biden and Jill Biden’s names and portraits on these accounts before the transition. Stone noted that it could take time for follow and unfollow requests to process as these accounts change hands.
Trump, who became president for the second time on Monday, wasted no time issuing a range of executive orders, including withdrawing from the World Health Organization and declaring a national emergency at the US-Mexico border. The inauguration was attended by influential tech figures, including Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and X’s Elon Musk, who has an advisory role in the new administration.
Trump had previously criticized Meta, which banned him in 2021 for what it deemed his “praise for people engaged in violence” during the January 6 riots. Trump and his allies also accused Meta of working with the Biden administration to suppress reports about Hunter Biden and Covid-related content. Zuckerberg later expressed regret for the decision.
Since Trump’s win in November, Zuckerberg seems to have mended ties, dining with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and donating $1 million to his inauguration. Earlier this month, Meta also announced it would end third-party fact-checking in favor of an approach similar to X’s community notes, signaling a shift towards “free expression.”
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