What is Truth Social?
Truth Social is a social media platform launched in February 2022 by Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), a media company founded by former US President Donald Trump. It is positioned as a right-leaning, free speech alternative to mainstream social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook that some conservatives accuse of political censorship.
The app allows users to post short messages called "truths" up to 300 characters in length, as well as upload images and videos. It features a news feed where users can interact with content posted by accounts they follow. Like Twitter, Truth Social allows users to follow prominent personalities and opt into news and updates. Verified accounts for Trump allies and conservative media personalities are featured prominently in the app.
Some key features of Truth Social include:
- Alleged commitment to free speech and lack of censorship based on political viewpoints
- One-to-many and many-to-many communication through news feeds, reposting, and replies
- Verification system to promote accounts of public interest
- Built-in sharing and embedding of posts to outside websites and platforms
- Banning of pornography, threats of violence, terrorist content, spam, duplicative content, and intellectual property infringement
The platform has faced obstacles, including waiting lists for new sign-ups, tech glitches, absent core features, and issues surrounding App Store availability and approvals. While intended to have a global audience, Truth Social has so far appealed primarily to American conservatives who feel their views are suppressed on mainstream platforms.