Oversight Board Rules: Trump Still Banned from Facebook

Former U.S. President Donald Trump will remain banned on Facebook for now, the Facebook Oversight Board announced Wednesday.

The Oversight Board added that Facebook must review the matter in the next six months to decide a “appropriate penalty” that must be based on the gravity of the violation and the prospect of future harm.

Additionally, the Board stressed that Facebook should determine a response that is consistent with rules applied to other users of the platform.

"It is not permissible for Facebook to keep a user off the platform for an undefined period, with no criteria for when or whether the account will be restored," the Board said.

The Board claimed that Facebook gave Trump's account "a vague, standardless penalty" and then tried to "avoid its responsibilities" by sending the "case to the Board to resolve."

"If Facebook decides to restore Mr. Trump’s accounts, the company should apply its rules to that decision, including any changes made in response to the Board’s policy recommendations below," the Board's ruling affirmed.

In response, Facebook said, "We will now consider the board’s decision and determine an action that is clear and proportionate. In the meantime, Mr. Trump’s accounts remain suspended."

"The board also made a number of recommendations on how we should improve our policies," Facebook went on saying. "While these recommendations are not binding, we actively sought the board’s views on our policies around political figures and will carefully review its recommendations."

The former president was permanently banned from Twitter on Jan. 8.

He told ABC News recently that the written statements he's been issuing during his social media ban are "so much more elegant than Twitter."