Meta denies forcing users to monitor Trump administration accounts

Meta, which owns social networks Facebook and Instagram, has denied forcing users to subscribe to official accounts belonging to senior figures in the new Trump administration.

Some users of the platforms complained after Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday that they were “automatically” forced to follow the new president, as well as Vice President J.D. Vance and first lady Melania Trump.

Meta spokesman Andy Stone explained that the accounts are managed by the White House, which has updated them to reflect the new job holders.

“This is the same procedure we followed during the last presidential transition,” he wrote in a statement.

The accounts are branded Potus, which stands for “President of the United States,” as well as Vice President and Flotus, short for First Lady.

Archived versions of the pages show that the Potus and Flotus accounts previously carried the name and official portrait of Joe Biden and Jill Biden, respectively.

Mr Stone added that “it may take some time to process subscription and unsubscribe requests when these accounts change hands”.

On Monday, Trump became President of the United States for the second time and quickly proceeded to issue a series of executive orders and directives that confirm his political agenda – from withdrawing from the World Health Organization and declaring a state of emergency on the border with Mexico.

His inauguration was attended some of the most influential tech billionairesincluding Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg and X executive Elon Musk, who is also serving in an advisory role to the new administration.

Trump previously harshly criticized Meta, who banned it in 2021 for what he described as “praising people who engage in violence” during the January 6 riots at the US Capitol.

The president and his allies also accused the firm of working with the Biden administration to cover up reports of allegations against Biden’s son Hunter and some content surrounding the Covid pandemic. Mr. Zuckerberg said he regretted his decision.

In August, Trump wrote in a book that Mr. Zuckerberg “will spend the rest of his life in prison” if he tries to interfere in the 2024 presidential election.

Since Trump’s election victory in early November, however, Mr. Zuckerberg appears to have found favor with him, dined with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence at the end of the month and donating $1 million (£786,000) to his inauguration in a few weeks.

Earlier this month, Meta also said it would end third-party fact-checking in favor of an approach similar to the X community notes, in an apparent attempt to address some of Trump’s previous critical remarks.

The company said it marked a return to its “fundamental commitment to free speech.”