Although it has been available for the iPhone for months, Truth Social is now listed for the first time in Google’s app marketplace.
axios First reported on Wednesday that Truth Social, former President Trump’s social network, has cleared the necessary hurdles to gain approval from Google. The app became available on Android shortly after and is now live on the Play Store, extending its reach to Google’s mobile operating system.
axios reported in August that Google chose to block Truth Social from the Play Store after discovering a number of posts that violate the rules, including content containing physical threats and incitement to violence. Truth Social was never formally banned from the Play Store, although its adoption was on ice until enough changes were made.
Unlike iOS, there are other distribution options available for Android apps that do not receive formal approval from Google. Google tolerates sideloading of apps through other avenues, and Truth Social recently offered the app as a direct download — the same strategy fellow “free speech” app Parler used previously to get around a similar situation.
Google told Axios that Truth Social agreed to enforce its policies against certain forms of content, including posts that incite violence, to be approved. It’s not immediately clear how the app handles hate speech – unlike the mainstream social networks it’s trying to replace, Truth Social has no rules against hate — but Google’s rules for user-generated content explicitly prohibit hate speech.