On October 21, 2021, former United States President Donald Trump announced the launching of  his own social media platform, the TRUTH Social, aiming to revive influential social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Trump, with the arrival of his new platform, expressed hope to create a “platform for everyone to express their feelings” and “stand up to the tyranny of Big Tech”. 

 Truth Social, owned by the Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), began the beta launch this month, where the app is available for preorder on Apple’s App Store. The organization also expects a “national rollout” within the first quarter of 2022. 

 Upon the launch of Truth Social, Trump shared, “ I am excited to send out my first TRUTH on TRUTH Social very soon. TMTG was founded with a mission to give a voice to all.” 

He continues, “The Taliban has a huge presence on Twitter, yet your favorite American President has been silenced. This is unacceptable.”

 Previously, the former U.S President was barred from major social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit in the wake of the January 6th attack of the U.S Capitol led by pro-Trump protesters who believed the 2020 election results to be fraudulen. These platforms cited the reason for suspension to be due to the “risk of further incitement of violence.”

 The app’s pitch strives to start “an open, free, and honest global conversation without discriminating against political ideology.” Yet, in its terms of service, the app prohibits its users to “disparage, tarnish, or otherwise harm, in our opinion, us and/or the Site.”

 Donald Trump’s social platform’s emergence has raised doubts regarding its success and the security of the site. Reported to be hacked within hours of its announcement, the app seems even more vulnerable to reach its lofty goals of competing against the massively influential platforms like Facebook and Twitter, who have already established their fame and audience. 

 As of now, one could only speculate the role that this new platform will have should Donald Trump run for the presidency again in 2024.

Citations:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/banned-from-facebook-and-twitter-trump-launching-own-social-network/

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/former-us-president-donald-trump-launches-new-social-media-platform-2021-10-21/

https://www.newsweek.com/trump-truth-social-hacked-within-hours-announcement-1641137

https://www.npr.org/2021/10/21/1048040544/what-we-know-so-far-about-trumps-planned-social-media-platform