Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Instagram account has been reinstated by Meta Platform after being suspended in 2021 for sharing false information about COVID-19. Kennedy, who is running for the Democratic nomination for president, had his account restored as he is now an active candidate. Kennedy had previously criticized Instagram for silencing a political candidate. In 2019, Kennedy’s relatives criticized his statements on vaccines as misinformation. In September 2021, YouTube also banned channels associated with Kennedy and other anti-vaccine activists. Meta has not yet commented on the matter.
On Wednesday, Instagram reinstated the account of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent attorney and activist, shortly after he issued a statement announcing his presidential bid.
Instagram confirmed that Kennedy’s account had been reinstated, but refused to provide details on why it had been removed in the first place. It is yet unclear when the account was taken down, although it appears to have been shortly before Kennedy’s statement about his presidential bid.
Kennedy, who has a large following on social media, was a vocal supporter of former president Donald Trump during his presidency.
In the statement released Wednesday, Kennedy announced that he was “running to represent all of us as a voice for justice for the people and to restore the glory of a country founded on family, service and patriotism.”
Kennedy has long been a well-known political figure both in the United States and abroad. Most recently, he was a major advocate for environmental causes, including the Paris Climate Agreement.
It is unclear how his Instagram account’s suspension affected his campaign launch, but the reinstatement couldn’t have come at a better time. With the ability to share his message on social media, Kennedy should be able to reach more of the public in his bid for the presidency.
As such, Kennedy’s reinstatement by Instagram is likely to have positive implications for his presidential campaign. It will give him the opportunity to reach potential supporters on a platform that has over one billion daily users. It remains to be seen if Kennedy’s run for the White House will be successful, but his Instagram account’s reinstatement has given him a foot in the door as he beings his journey.
