Facebook, YouTube ban naming alleged Trump impeachment whistleblower

As US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for the whistleblower's name to be revealed, Facebook and Google-owned YouTube have banned content on their platform that purports to name the whistleblower whose complaint led to the impeachment inquiry against Trump.

This comes after whistleblower's lawyer on Thursday warned that revealing the identity of the whistleblower will put him at risk following Trump's repeated call for publication of the whistleblower's name.

Referring to the "coordinating harm" policy, Facebook and YouTube on Saturday said it would block references to the alleged whistleblower's name and photo, Washington Post reported.

The whistle blower's lawyer went on to call US President's bid as a "reckless and dangerous" form of intimidation."

"Although whistleblowers enjoy protections under a federal law designed to encourage government employees to report wrongdoing without fear of retaliation, Heidi Kitrosser, a law professor at the University of Minnesota, said those protections would not prohibit private individuals from seeking to unmask a whistleblower. But, she added, there could be other possible legal recourse," Washington Post reported.

The impeachment inquiry was launched by the US House Democrats back in September after a phone call made by Trump to the Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky for allegedly asking to investigate the Former Vice President Joe Biden.

Though House panel has been hearing testimonies in a closed-door meeting for weeks now, the public sessions will take place for the first time next week.

The investigation is focussed on Trump's alleged use of public office to influence Ukraine in pursuing Joe Biden and son for corruption.