Truth Social, a new social media platform developed by former US president, Donald Trump, has officially launched. Following a ban implemented by Twitter, Facebook and YouTube in 2021, Mr Trump has decided to create a new app, which he claims promotes and champions “open, free and honest global conversation without discriminating against political idealogy.” Described as a “big tent” social platform, the aim is to preserve free speech and move away from censorship adopted by mainstream, popular sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Donald Trump, a controversial social media figurehead of his generation with more than 88 million followers in his prime, has been forced to come up with a different way to communicate and share thoughts and ideas after being frozen out by social media giants. What does the launch of Truth Social mean for social media users and can it really work?
The backstory
Truth Social came about as a reaction to Trump’s ejection from mainstream social media. After numerous controversial tweets and messages, Twitter finally took the decision to ban Trump following the US Capitol riots. He was deemed to have glorified violence and was subsequently barred from utilising accounts and sharing posts on Facebook and YouTube. For a while, it seemed as though Trump had retreated to the golf course and was enjoying life away from the spotlight, but on February 15th 2022, a message popped up on Truth Social. In a post entirely typical of Trump’s previous social media forays, it read, ‘Get Ready! Your favorite President will see you soon!’
Truth Social is still in its infancy and it is not expected to be fully functional until the end of March, according to project lead and former congressman, Devin Nunes. Initially available to 500 beta-testers, many of those wishing to join are currently being directed to a waiting list.
A quick look at Truth Social reveals a platform that appears to be a close copy of Twitter. The format is similar, the buttons to post reactions and like posts are the same and users can also retweet like they can on Twitter. Unsurprisingly, the first person to retweet Trump’s introductory message was his son, Donald Trump Jr.
In an interview, Mr Nunes, who resigned from Congress to take up the post of chief executive at Trump Media & Technology Group, stated that it was impossible for the company to use big tech firms, which meant that they had to develop a new platform from scratch.
What does the launch of Truth Social mean?
The team behind Truth Social is pushing it as an alternative to the sites billions of people all over the world use. Mr Nunes describes it as a “censorship-free experience”. In recent months, social media giants have embarked upon a mission to clean up platforms to protect users, but some people, most notably conservatives, believe that the actions taken by social media platforms are compromising free speech and restricting content by removing controversial or unsuitable posts and banning users who flout the rules and regulations.
The launch of Truth Social shines a spotlight on the role of social media and the potential for censor-free sites and apps to thrive with a powerful driving force behind them. There have been teething troubles, according to reports in newspapers, but does Truth Social have the ability to blaze a trail and achieve success where others have failed?
Truth Social is not a new concept, and there are other sites, apps and platforms that pride themselves on being censorship-free. Examples include Parler, Gettr, Rumble and Gab. These platforms have a relatively small following, but does that mean that Truth Social will follow in their footsteps? Statistics from 2021 suggest that almost 3 billion people have a Facebook account and Twitter has over 200 million active daily users. In contrast, Gettr has approximately 400,000 daily users and Gab has 100,000 active daily users.
Could a censor-free version of Twitter work?
One of the most important questions to think about when analysing the potential impact of Donald Trump’s new social media platform is can it actually work? Trump knows from experience that the biggest platforms and apps have stringent protocols in place to block users, issue bans and remove content that is deemed unsuitable. Any platform that operates on Apple or Google will need to comply with guidelines. In its current limited form, Truth Social is available on the US Apple App Store.
The availability of the app on the App Store seems to throw the question of censorship-free content into question. There have already been examples of platforms being frozen out by Apple and Google. Parler was removed from both Apple and Google stores after failing to remove harmful content, which promoted violence, in 2021. After a month-long absence, the app was reinstalled, but only once the owners had agreed to adhere to content guidelines put forward by Google and Apple.
If Donald Trump wants to run a platform that is 100% censorship-free and make it available via leading tech companies like Google and Apple, the content that is shared and posted will need to comply with the rules, so will it even work and is it possible for Trump to achieve his goal of making Truth Social the “censorship-free experience” Mr Nunes talks about? Nunes has acknowledged that the quest will be difficult, suggesting that most people are desperate for the venture to fail. Tech experts are also unsure as to the viability of an uncensored platform that will need to respect guidelines to offer accessibility via the main app stores.
The potential dangers of a censor-free social platform
Social media content is a subject of ardent debate. Almost every day, there are headlines about users being trolled or social media companies being encouraged to do more to prevent the publication of posts that are linked to violence, bullying, racism, prejudice, xenophobia and homophobia. This debate exists within a sphere that is already controlled. The prospect of a censor-free platform, like Truth Social, is likely to cause unease.
The Trump team talks about Truth Social as an open platform, which encourages people to talk and converse without worrying about their political beliefs or ideologies. The reality is that for all its merits and advantages, social media is already problematic. Does a censorship-free zone have the potential to cause even more headaches? There is a delicate balance between protecting the right to freedom of speech and allowing people to share their own opinions and thoughts and shielding users. It is already difficult to draw lines and avoid grey areas.
An uncensored social platform could put users at risk of trolling and online bullying, it could expose vulnerable and young people to dangerous, unsuitable or damaging content and it could proliferate the spread of ‘fake news.’ Censorship in the form of content guidelines plays an active role in creating safer spaces for users, verifying content to prevent misinformation and enhancing security. Without any level of censorship is there any way of drawing lines between championing freedom of speech and protecting users?
Are there any positives?
Social media is a topic of conversation that can be divisive in any room. There are obvious pros and cons, but what happens when you throw uncensored platforms into the mix? Are there any positives?
The driving force behind censor-free apps like Truth Social is freedom of speech. Many people believe that free speech should be protected at all costs. The fact that people have the right to say what they think is a fundamental human right, which is celebrated in constitutions and bills around the world. The problem is that there are sometimes implications and consequences of allowing freedom of expression with no boundaries. In a censorship-free environment, is there any way of controlling what people see and what they are exposed to, and should users be prepared to see or read anything because they agree to sign up to an uncensored platform? Few people would disagree that freedom of speech is a basic human right, which should be protected and promoted, but many would add stipulations or sidenotes.
Summary
The launch of Donald Trump’s new social platform, Truth Social, has hit the headlines and set tongues wagging. Promoted as an open global platform that offers an uncensored experience, Truth Social has launched following Trump’s ban from Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. The development of a new, censor-free app, which looks remarkably similar to Twitter, has prompted people to think about what it means for social media users and the future of social platforms. Will Truth Social be able to blaze a trail, will it be popular and are there any positives? It’s impossible to predict the future, but problems with social media are well-documented. There is a risk that introducing uncensored platforms could cause a whole lot more.
The SaneChoice Team
https://www.sanechoice.cloud/SaneChoice started in 2004 when a customer was frustrated by their hosting provider at the time. Since that year, SaneChoice has been providing technology services to clients worldwide, with a strong focus on helping small businesses understand technology.
