Google has added former U.S. President Donald Trump’s social media app 'Truth Social' to its Play Store, over a month after it banned the app over policy issues, especially moderating user-generated content.
According to the Alphabet Inc spokesperson, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), which operates Truth Social, is expected to make the app available in the Play Store shortly.
"Apps may be distributed on Google Play provided they comply with our developer guidelines, including the requirement to effectively moderate user-generated content and remove objectionable posts such as those that incite violence," a Google spokesman was quoted by Reuters.
Truth Social has reportedly agreed to enforce the content moderation measures on users, which include removing or blocking users who publish posts that incite violence.
The TMTG spokesperson too expressed pleasure in working with Google, and claimed to be happy about bringing the app to all Americans.
Truth Social app
The former president started the app after he was booted out of social media giant Twitter in January 2021 "due to the risk of further incitement of violence" following the coup that saw hundreds barging into the Capitol Hill.
According to its website, it is America's "Big Tent" social media platform that encourages an open, free and honest global conversation without discriminating against political ideology.
So far, the app is available only in the US. Before Google blocking it in August, Android users had to access the app on their phone web browser or by "sideloading" it through another website. The app has been available on Apple’s App Store, according to CNBC.
The app's addition to the Play Store also perked up the shares of Digital World Acquisition Corp., the company aiming to take the app, during after-hours trading.
However, the former President only a fraction of his followers on Truth Social as compared to Twitter. While he has 4.18 followers at Truth Social, he had 88.8 million on Twitter and the 35.4 million on Facebook before being booted out.
