By Aaron Miller-
Donald Trump Jr has been ridiculed by Telegram users, after asking his father’s supporters to donate to him to support the former president’s lawsuit against Facebook, Twitter and Google.
After Donald Trump on Wednesday announced his legal suit against the tech giants for banning his accounts and “censoring” him following the 6 January Capitol riot, his son.
The former president’s accounts were restricted after the tech companies found his comments into the riot at Capitol Hill events on January 6 as inflammatory. The respective social giant companies expressed concerns that Trump would incite further violence and have kept him locked out. All three declined comment Wednesday.
The suit against Facebook and CEO Zuckerberg alleges that Facebook acted unconstitutionally when it removed Trump from the platform. Suits against Twitter and YouTube make similar claims.
The suits all call for the court to award unspecified damages, declare Section 230 unconstitutional and restore Trump’s accounts, along with those of several other plaintiffs who joined the suits and have also had posts or accounts removed.
Guys my dad is suing big tech!!!’ Trump Jr wrote in a post Thursday on Telegram, an alternative social media platform. He added: ‘you can click to link to donate to his PAC to help out!!!’
The link directs supporters to a joint fundraising page for the Save America PAC and Make America Great Again PAC, which asks potential donors: ‘Will you stand with President Trump and support him in this fight?’
Trump Jr’s fundraising appeal was largely met with supportive comments on his Telegram channel, with many vowing to donate and questions about how to join the class-action suit.
Trump announced action lawsuits against Twitter, Facebook Google and their chief executives on behalf of users who have been banned at an event at his New Jersey golf club on Wednesday. Image: Associated Press
‘I have prayed for this to happen since back in February when Facebook permanently deleted my 17 year account!’ one person commented.
While Telegram is used by many people for non-nefarious reasons, its near non-existent content policies allow for extreme right-wing users like QAnon conspiracy theorists, white supremacists and Nazis to post unchecked. It has become a haven for Trump supporters who have been banned or are otherwise opposed to using Twitter and Facebook.
One user warned Mr Trump Jr not to utilize the serviced of WinRed, a fundraising platform that has been accused of taking reoccurring payments from Trump supporters that have donated to Mr Trump in the past.
Another user, going by the name “Scottie Hall,” said Don Jr should tell his father “to help me out. His [sic] a billionaire. Help me back. Q said you all bad med beds. Let’s see them . [sic] Help a billionaire are you joking. You all a psyop [sic].”
In another post a user complained that a billionaire shouldn’t be asking for them to “donate in order for your dad to sue”.