Donald Trump's social network, Truth Social, can now be downloaded from the Google Play Store, while the Internet giant refused it this summer, deeming the moderation of content insufficient on the platform of the former American president. .

Google told AFP on Wednesday (October 12th) that Truth Social had finally agreed to update its application to ensure that its policy on the removal of messages inciting violence is applied.

To be distributed on Google's mobile app store, programs "must comply with our Publisher Guidelines, including requirements to effectively moderate third-party content and remove objectionable material such as who incite violence," a spokesperson said.

Alternative

Launched at the end of February, Truth Social aims to be an alternative to the major social networks, Twitter in particular, from which Donald Trump has been suspended since the beginning of January 2021, with freedom of expression for leitmotif and a minimum moderation of content.

"It's been a pleasure working with Google, and we're thrilled they've helped us finally bring Truth Social to all Americans, no matter what device they're using," said MZ Group's Shannon Devine. who manages public relations for Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG), the parent company of Truth Social.

"This is a major step in our mission to restore freedom of expression online," she added in an email to AFP.

TMTG had already welcomed last week the admission of Truth Social on the application store of Samsung in the United States, the Galaxy Store.

Content moderation

Google had refused to welcome the platform on its Play Store in August, considering the moderation of content as "insufficient".

The world's largest online advertising company said it had told Truth Social about "several violations" of app store policies.

The Californian group said it had "again indicated that having effective systems for moderating user-generated content was a (necessary) condition for an application to be posted on Google Play".

Unlike the iPhone's iOS, Google's Android operating system for smartphones allows a user to download an app through other channels than their own app store.

However, the store remains the preferred interface for users of an Android phone, which represents the overwhelming majority of smartphones in the world.

On the Apple App Store, where it is present, Truth Social ranks 89th in the "social networks" category.

QAnon

TMTG has been waiting for months to finalize its merger with a listed vehicle, Digital World Acquisition Corp (DWAC), which should allow it to enter the stock market and thus receive fresh money.

DWAC's stock rose nearly 9% in electronic trading after the New York Stock Exchange closed on Wednesday.

Excluded from major platforms, Donald Trump found only a fraction of his followers on Truth Social.

He is currently followed there by 4.18 million people, compared to 88.8 million on Twitter and 35.4 million on Facebook before his ouster for encouraging his supporters during the invasion of the Capitol on January 6, 2021, which had made several deaths.

The social network is used in particular by fans of the QAnon nebula to relay their conspiracy theories linking, for example, personalities from the American Democratic Party like Hillary Clinton to a satanist and pedophile network.

NewsGuard, which rates news sources by their trustworthiness, found 88 accounts sharing QAnon content with more than 10,000 followers on Truth Social, more than half of whom were "verified," and more than a third had been banned from Twitter.

With AFP

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