Google Is Blocking Trump’s Truth Social From Play Store, Claims It’s Over Content Moderation
According to a report from CNBC, Google is still outright blocking former President Donald Trump’s Truth Social from being available on the Google Play app store, claiming that the decision is based upon issues regarding content moderation.
While owners of Apple-based phones have been able to enjoy the Truth Social app on their phones for some time now, Android phone users have been left behind – and Google is fessing up to the reasoning as to why they’re blocking the app from their Google Play app store.
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On August 30th, Google shared a statement on the matter, claiming, “On Aug. 19, we notified Truth Social of several violations of standard policies in their current app submission and reiterated that having effective systems for moderating user-generated content is a condition of our terms of service for any app to go live on Google Play.”
For the sake of context, approximately 44% of smartphone users in the United States use an Android-powered device, and Google has owned Android since 2005.
Per the Big Tech Goliath, Truth Social will not be able to go live on their Google Play app store until these ambiguous content moderation elements are addressed by Trump Media and Technology Group.
However, Trump Media and Technology Group CEO Devin Nunes is singing a different tune than Google regarding the conundrum, asserting during an interview with Just The News that
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“When are we going to be available on Android? Well, look, that’s up to the Google Play store. We’re waiting on them to approve us, I don’t know what’s taking so long. It sure would be nice if they would approve us.”
Google is still sticking with the narrative that they’ve properly communicated the issues surrounding the barring of Truth social on their app store, claiming that Nunes’ comments are a misrepresentation of the ongoing talks the companies have been engaged in.
But what is all the more curious in this barring of Truth Social over “moderating user-generated content” (considering that Truth Social is largely marketed as an alternative to Twitter) is that Google allows Twitter on their app store despite Twitter flagrantly violating Google’s terms of service to have a presence on the app store.
According to Google’s own policies on what apps can be listed on the Google Play app store, there is a dedicated section regarding the restriction of apps that contain pornography.
“We don’t allow apps that contain or promote sexual content or profanity, including pornography, or any content or services intended to be sexually gratifying. We don’t allow apps or app content that appear to promote a sexual act in exchange for compensation. Content that contains nudity may be allowed if the primary purpose is educational, documentary, scientific or artistic, and is not gratuitous.”
The pornographic content that is available on Twitter is hardly anything that could be construed as mere depictions of “nudity” where the “purpose is educational, documentary, scientific or artistic, and is not gratuitous” – rather, it is downright hardcore pornography.
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