Trump’s new social media app launches on iOS

Screenshot: Apple.com

Truth Social, a social media network developed by former president Donald Trump's new media company, is now live on the App Store in the US. The app was available to download just before midnight, eastern time, prior to Presidents Day.

The service appears to be similar to Twitter, which was previously Trump's preferred social media platform. In early 2021, the former president was banned from the platform after he was accused of inciting violence after the storming of the US Capitol building.

Image: Truth Social / App Store

Truth Social's website is intermittently loading, but it is collecting names and email addresses for users who want to sign up. The site is not secured through HTTPS, which means that any information submitted will be visible to other people on the network. The public commitment to open-source principles is a concession from the earlier conflict with the Mastodon project.

Some users who signed up through the site have been shown vague information, while others are being told that they have been put on a wait list. The verification email from the Washington Post did not arrive.

Conservative politicians and commentators have criticized big tech companies for moderation of right-wing views. There is a wave of right-wing platforms that have grown in popularity.

Truth Social refers to individual posts as "Truths", which are shown to users on a Truth Feed. The platform's chief product officer said that there are other features under development.

The platform has 500 users on it. It is being developed by the Trump Media and Technology Group. In an interview with Fox News, he said that he hoped the service would be fully operational by the end of March.

An exact launch date for the service is yet to be announced, but Truth Social's website says it will be in the Play Store soon.

Donald Trump's previous attempt to launch a new platform was shut down less than a month later.