He's Back: Trump’s New Social Media Platform
Donald Trump was banned from Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube in the wake of the Capitol riots last year and has moved to a social-media platform, Truth Social, which has launched, in a limited form, on the US Apple App Store.
Truth Social, the app developed by former president Donald Trump’s new media company, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) became available for download in Apple’s App Store recently ahead of the launch Monday 21st February. The app had similarities to Twitter.
Trump, whose misleading posts on the Covid19 pandemic and false assertions of widespread election fraud led to unprecedented fact-checking flags and warnings from social media networks, has been posting frequent statements through his political action committee. He has been endorsing Republican candidates who question the 2020 election results and insisting that investigations into his presidency and business are nothing more than politicised hoaxes.
Created by the year-old TMTG, Truth Social had previously been made available to about 500 beta testers.
Led by former Republican congressman Devin Nunes, TMTG will join a growing portfolio of technology companies that are positioning themselves as champions of free speech and hope to draw users who feel their views are suppressed on other platforms including Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. In an interview with broadcaster Fox News, Nunes said the platform was aiming to become fully operational in the US by the end of March. "That's going to be awesome, because we're going to get so many more people that are going to be on the platform," said Nunes.
The launch would restore Trump to social media more than a year after he was banned from Twitter, Facebook and YouTube after the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol by his supporters, when he was accused of posting messages inciting violence.
Conservative politicians and commentators have repeatedly criticised Twitter and other big tech companies for what they see as overly harsh moderation of right-wing views. Speaking of people who had pre-ordered, Nunes said, "It's actually very moving for me to see people that are on the platform that have had their voice cancelled."
The platform is claiming to champion free speech and hopes to attract users who feel their views are suppressed on more-established platforms. But some early users have had difficulties registering accounts and were told: "Due to massive demand, we have placed you on our waitlist."
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