JAKARTA - The social media platform owned by former US President Donald Trump, Truth Social, has not been approved for distribution on Alphabet Inc's Google Play Store. According to a Google spokesperson, Tuesday, August 30, this is due to inadequate content moderation.
This delay marks a setback for the app, which launched on the Apple App Store on February 21. Android phones control about 40% of smartphone markets in the US. Without Google stores and Apple, there is no easy way for most smartphone users to download Truth Social.
On August 19, we notified Truth Social of some of the standard policy violations in their current application filings and reiterated that having an effective system to moderate user-made content is a requirement of our service requirements for any app to go live on Google Play, a Google spokesperson said in a statement.
Google said it had expressed concern to Truth Social about Play Store policy violations banning content such as physical threats and incitement to violence.
Truth Social's parent company Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters. But in a press release it said it "continues to work in good faith with Google to ensure that the Truth Social Android App is in accordance with Google's policies without sacrificing our promise to become a haven for free speech."
He added: In addition, some of our competing apps are allowed on the Google Play Store despite rampant violating Google's ban on sexual content and other policies, while Truth Social does not tolerate sexually explicit content.
The news of this delay from Android was first reported by Axios.
Truth Social restored Trump's presence on social media more than a year after he was banned from Twitter Inc, Alphabet Inc's Facebook and YouTube following the US Capitol riots January 6, 2021, after he was accused of posting messages inciting violence.
TMTG has pledged to provide a various and censor-free experience at Truth Social, drawing to a base that feels its views on hot topics such as the results of the 2020 presidential election have been removed from mainstream technology platforms.
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