OPINION:
Since the announcement of his own social media platform, Truth Social, former President Donald Trump has been captivating the seemingly booming right-leaning social media marketplace. It makes perfect sense that the businessman-turned-leader of the free world wouldn’t take being banned from social media platforms lightly and would convert it into a positive profitable endeavor for himself — but what doesn’t make sense is why he’s putting all of his eggs in this one basket.
After the Jan. 6 protest and disturbance at the Capitol, Democrats quickly took control of the narrative, labeling Mr. Trump a clear and present threat to our country. This narrative led to his being banned from every Silicon Valley social media company, but that wasn’t enough for the left. Parler, a then-prominent conservative alternative to those platforms, was quickly dumped by both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store — then kicked off Amazon Web Services, all for the generic accusations of “spreading hate, stoking fear and allowing people to organize Jan. 6.” For at least a few months, the left completely controlled social media.
After going through what I just described, why would Mr. Trump think the same people who canceled both himself and Parler allow him to regain footing in the social media sphere?
The narrative has been well established so that the first time Mr. Trump mentions on his new platform that he believes the 2020 election was stolen, the platform will cease to exist on everything that ditched Parler, especially with Silicon Valley viewing him as the figurehead dictating the censorship over his social media company. The definitions of “spreading hate, stoking fear and allowing people to organize” means his simply mentioning a rally, protest or a concept different from the narrative Apple, Google and Amazon — and until these tech giants are reigned in by lawmakers — that’s just how it’s going to be. So why would the former Casino owner place all the chips on just one square on the roulette table when there are alternatives?
As a former digital marketing and publication consultant, I know that you should be on every major platform you can if you want to get your message out. Why limit your reach when you can grow audiences everywhere for a few minutes more effort copying and pasting? Why would you ignore friendly growing platforms on a social media landscape that has now become the Wild West?
Additionally, as someone who has been considered a conservative social media “influencer” — a term that I personally loathe — and having watched my 90,000 follower account disappear with Parler and nearly 60,000 followers get banned on Twitter in Jan. 2021 — it just makes common sense to be on as much as possible expand your potential reach.
Gettr, which was launched in July 2021, would make the most sense of all the options for him to join. Since its foray into the social media market, the platform has gained over 4 million users, including nearly every major conservative influencer and publication, as well as a significant portion of Mr. Trump’s supporters. Additionally, the platform, along with Rumble, is one of the only places that has consistently livestreamed Mr. Trump’s rallies without interruption or censorship.
Right Side Broadcasting Network, who is down to their literal last strike on YouTube, found a friendly platform in Gettr — and had more viewers on their live coverage of the last two Trump rallies there than MSNBC and CNN typically get for most of their programming.
Mr. Trump would clearly be welcome on whatever right-leaning platform he would choose to join — the question becomes which platforms would be allowed to continue in app stores and on web services with his presence? The answer at this point really relies on whether or not he is in charge of the platform. As much as his millions of voters and close personal advisers are cheering for his new social media Truth Social to succeed, history would appear to show that it may not get too far out of the gate, if at all.
With Congressional Democrats stretching Jan. 6 as far as they can alongside their fans in Silicon Valley, whom they are in lockstep with — and midterm elections on the horizon — the deck is stacked against Mr. Trump having great success with his own platform. It would only make sense for him and every conservative to join multiple potential social media platforms that provide an alternative to the now traditional Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Truth Social will add a fresh new face to the expanding online speech market. Still, its longevity would seemingly already be determined by what was established by Silicon Valley a year ago. And why just bet on one platform when you can join them all — after all, it’s free.
• Tim Young is an author, host, comedian, columnist at The Washington Times and SiriusXMPatriot personality.
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