Truth Social Can’t Handle The Truth, Or Something

Start out how you intend to carry on, the old saying goes…but this is Truth Social we are talking here, and their intent to create their own echo chamber probably doesn’t apply to that bit of wisdom.

From The Independent:

Former US president Donald Trump’s new social media platform Truth Social has gone live, and is available for download on Apple’s App Store. However, many users complained on Twitter of a huge waitlist to join the portal.

After being ousted from social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook and Youtube, in January 2021, the former US president took matters in his hands and announced last October that he planned to launch his own platform.

The app, set to go live on 21 February to coincide with Presidents’ Day, was opened to hundreds of testers on Friday ahead of the expected launch.

Mr Trump’s eldest son Donald Trump Jr shared a screenshot of the site featuring his father promoting its anticipated release: “Get Ready! Your favourite President will see you soon!”

Users took to Twitter to share their experiences with the app, with many noting that they were waitlisted on signing up due to “massive demand”.

Apple has also reportedly begun sending notifications and alerts to users that the app is available for download.

Some users also complained that they have been unable to register an account after downloading the app.

The former president’s new media and technology venture, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), which is behind the development of the app, has pledged to deliver an “engaging and censorship-free experience” on the platform.

It remains to be seen whether the app’s goal of freedom of expression can co-exist with Apple’s and Google’s app store policies.

Every time a MAGA-friendly “alternate” social media platform comes and goes the same scenario occurs: big jump in downloads and subscriptions, then a rapid stall as those folks congregate, then the long, slow decline as that same group of the same folks gradually get tired of each other/the platform/whatever and gravitate back to the big three of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter until the next, next big thing.

Trump’s name attached will give Truth Social a little bit more juice with the faithful, but the same problem will occur again, and we have history and data to prove it: these are not revolutions or pushing the social media envelope, these are the same group of people running from one thing to other as a herd, and not staying past the initial thrill because — low and behold — it’s the same people over and over again. The tell here is that they have to run to Twitter to complain about the new venture, announce how well it is doing, how it is trending on Twitter, and declare for the umpteeth time how they are leaving and this time they really double super mean it.

Mostly, Truth Social will be yet another burn bright/fade quick journey for the Trump faithful to make a pilgrimage, state the catechism of buzzwords, and then slowly lose interest and come back to where the rest of the world does social media because they miss it.

Lather, rinse, repeat. If nothing else, it will be an interesting window into the further decline of the Trump brand going forward, and we will finally end the long national nightmare of not having Donald J. Trump on social media. And you don’t even have to get Truth Social to do that. All the important, or at least trend-worthy, stuff will be all over your Twitter and Facebook feeds.

And so it goes.