Adam Kos Former US President Donald Trump has announced plans to launch a new social network called TRUTH Social. It is supposed to be a direct competition for big American digital companies, where he wants to challenge their tyranny. If the original plans are followed, it should be launched in trial operation already in November.
Why?
Social media played a key role in Trump's bid for the White House and was his preferred means of communication as president. He was banned from Twitter and suspended from Facebook until 2023 after his supporters stormed the US Capitol. But it was only a consequence of Trump's long-term inappropriate behavior in these networks, because already last year both networks started to delete some of his posts and labeled others as misleading - for example, in the case when he stated that COVID-19 is less more dangerous than the flu.
Gallery
So Trump was "banned" after the riots in January that followed his speech in which he made baseless claims about election fraud. Because Twitter and Facebook decided it was too risky to allow this person to continue using their platforms. And of course, such an influential person doesn't like that, and when he has money, it's not a problem to develop his own platform. And since Trump has the money, he did it (or at least tried to). And it can be assumed that he will no longer be restricted by anyone on his own network.
For whom
An early version of this latest venture, called TRUTH Social, will open to invited guests as early as next month, with a "nationwide rollout" of the network by the end of the first quarter of 2022. The procedure will probably be similar to the Clubhouse platform, i.e. by invitation. But since at least 80 million people followed Trump on Twitter alone, the network may have some potential. But as it looks so far, it will only be in the USA for the time being.
It could be interest you
Vratislav Holub Reality
According to analyst James Clayton, who said so for with the BBC, however, Trump shouts strong words that do not have much basis. So far, there is no indication that Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) has any functional platform. The new website is only a registration page. In American App Store however, the application is already available for download. In addition, he adds that Trump wants to create a platform that will compete with Twitter or Facebook, but that simply won't happen.
His platform is inherently politicized. It won't be a feed of ideas like Twitter or a place where the whole family and all the friends are like Facebook. It could be more of a more successful version of other "free speech" social media platforms like Parler or Gab.
Additional information
TMTG, which Trump chairs, also plans to launch a subscription video-on-demand service, a typical VOD service that streams video content. It should contain undiscovered and entertaining programs, news, podcasts and more. It is not known if he would also express himself through her. It clearly bothers Trump that he is out of touch with his followers. And since he has hinted (though not made an official announcement) that he will run for president again in 2024, he simply needs to regain his influence. And when he can't do that on Twitter or Facebook, he just wants to come up with something of his own.
Have you ever heard anything about freedom of speech, Comrade Kos?
While all of this is probably true, the emergence of any competing social network (which for whatever reason has the potential to attract the attention of a larger number of users) is very useful. It won't shake the position of the monopoly giants, but on the assumption that they themselves won't cut themselves a branch with ever-increasing politicization and censorship. And that's about it.