Google has decided not to approve the download of former President Donald Trump's social network app, Truth Social, on Android devices due to insufficient content moderation. As a result of this restriction, 44% of the country's smartphone users are unable to use the application.
The technology giant states that its main concern is the violation of its policies prohibiting content with physical threats and incitement to violence. According to Google, those contents are part of Trump's platform. This was stated by a spokesperson quoted by Axios :
On August 19, we notified Truth Social about various violations of our standards policies for your current app and reiterate that having effective systems in place to moderate user-generated content is a condition of our terms of service for any app to be activated on the Google Play Store.
Delay by Google
Truth Social CEO Devin Nunes claimed last week that the Android version of the social network app was ready and that Google was taking a longer period of time than normal to deliver its response.
Google later indicated that the unusual period of delay was due to security checks. They placed special emphasis on the fact that notices warning of "sensitive content" in some publications on the network are not suitable for all audiences. They added that they would be insufficient for their criteria, since they do not prohibit threats of violence.
The approval of the Truth Social download on the Google Play Store will depend on the modifications made by the social network creators. And while the company could offer a version of the app to install on Android via direct download - which would skip the need for Google approval - this does not appear to be in their plans.
The Trump-created platform said in a statement that it is, "Continually working in good faith with Google to ensure that the Truth Social app for Android complies with its requirements and policies without compromising our promise to be a haven for free speech."
Censorship denounced by citizens and politicians
The delay on the part of Google is yet another precedent to add to the media censorship denounced by conservatives. Trump launched Truth Social in response to the ban that multiple digital platforms imposed against his statements following the events on Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021.
Some citizens have denounced the censorship situation and make comparisons with other social networks that incite violence or have broad sexual content that are allowed in the Google Play Store:
Google refuses to allow Truth Social in its app store due to insufficient "content moderation"... There are no such problems for Facebook, where several mass shootings have been live streamed.
Google refusing to allow Truth Social on its app store due to insufficient "content moderation."
No such issues for Facebook, where several mass shootings have been streamed live.
- Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) August 30, 2022
