Meta reverses controversial Kyle Rittenhouse policy on Facebook and Instagram

Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has reversed its policy banning searches for "Kyle Rittenhouse" on its apps following his acquittal last month.

A Kenosha, Wisconsin, jury on Nov. 19 found Rittenhouse not guilty on all counts after his defense team argued that he was acting in self-defense when he fatally shot two people and injured a third during Kenosha riots in August 2020, following the police shooting of a 29-year-old Black man, Jacob Blake.

Following the 2020 shooting, Meta (then Facebook) reportedly labeled the incident "mass murder" and blocked searches for Rittenhouse's name. 

"After the verdict in Kenosha, we rolled back the restrictions we had in place that limited search results from returning content related to key terms including Kyle Rittenhouse," a Meta spokesperson told FOX Business. "While we will still remove content that celebrates the death of the individuals killed in Kenosha, we will no longer remove content containing praise or support of Rittenhouse."