Google has not approved Truth Social’s Android app for distribution because of insufficient content moderation.
The Trump-affiliated social network was expected to get an Android release this week, according to Truth Social CEO Devin Nunes. However, Google now claims that it has not approved the app’s release due to concerns about its content moderation practices.
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“On Aug. 19, we notified Truth Social of several violations of standard policies in their current app submission and reiterated that having effective systems for moderating user-generated content is a condition of our terms of service for any app to go live on Google Play,” Google told Axios. “Last week Truth Social wrote back acknowledging our feedback and saying that they are working on addressing these issues.”
“TMTG has continuously worked in good faith with Google to ensure that the Truth Social Android App complies with Google’s policies without compromising our promise to be a haven for free speech,” the platform said in a press statement responding to Google’s claims. The company argued that several of its competitors, including Facebook and Twitter, were left on the store “despite rampantly violating Google’s prohibition on sexual content and other policies, whereas Truth Social has zero tolerance for sexually explicit content.”
Content moderation on Truth Social has been an issue in the past. The House Committee on Oversight and Reform filed a letter on Aug. 19, requesting information about the company’s content moderation practices, an inquiry it also made to other social networks, such as TikTok, Facebook, and Parler.
While the platform touts itself as a free-speech network, researchers claim that subjects such as the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol have been blocked. The platform has also been home to more aggressive characters, including the armed man who attempted to assault an FBI field office in Cincinnati and telegraphed his attack before the attempt via posts on Truth Social.
The company has also been financially struggling. The app’s parent company, Digital World Acquisition, lost more than $6 million from January to June. The company has become concerned that its affiliation with Trump could adversely affect the long-term health of DWAC’s stock.
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Former President Donald Trump has maintained that Truth Social is going fine despite reports that the platform has failed to pay RightForge, an internet infrastructure company for conservative causes, $1.6 million in backdated payments. “Actually, many of the big guns in Washington, D.C., are fighting to stop the TRUTH but, they won’t be successful,” Trump wrote. “They are going after the outside financial company, and virtually anybody that walks and breaths, but that won’t do it. They said it is doing worse since the Raid, but actually it is doing MUCH better, up more than 550%. We all love TRUTH!!!”
