Staff Reports
After receiving assurances that the app would be able to address the platform's standards for harmful content, Google allowed Donald Trump's Truth social media app to be installed on its Play Store for Android devices.
Following Trump's ban from Twitter, the app was removed from Google's store. The company cited its lack of moderation tools, which include violent threats.
According to Google, the app has been updated to comply with the company's policies, which include restricting the posting of offensive content. It also has a built-in system that can remove unwanted content.
Google said that it would allow applications to be distributed on its Play Store if they follow the company's guidelines. These include the requirement that they be able to remove content that incites violence.
Although developers can create apps for other platforms, such as the internet, Google's Play Store is the main source of content for Android users.
The Truth Social app for Android can be found on the social network's website, as well as other sites that don't comply with Google's guidelines.
The chief executive of Trump's media company thanked Google for helping to bring the Truth Social app to the masses. He noted that the app would be useful regardless of the type of device users use.
A month ago, the company behind Truth Social announced that the app was available for Android users in the US. The app was built for Samsung devices, which are powered by the company's customized software.
According to Counterpoint, Samsung's share of the US smartphone market is around 30 percent. A version of Truth Social that's designed for Apple devices is also available through the App Store. This app enforces the company's rules about moderating content.
In August, Google said that it had notified the company that the app violated the company's policies. It also required the company to develop better systems to manage the moderating of user-generated content.
Google had initially said that the app violated the company's rules against violent and offensive content. However, it was working on addressing these issues.
The creators of Truth Social said that the app was designed to serve as Trump's answer to Twitter, which he was removed from in January 2021.
Elon Musk, who made a deal to buy Twitter for about $44 billion, said that he would allow Donald Trump to return to the platform. After trying to negotiate a change of plans, Musk said that the deal was back on track and could be completed by the end of the month.
A merger between a blank check company and a media company known as Digital World Acquisition Corp., which was supposed to provide new funding for the Trump platform, has not yet taken place. Following the Play Store news, Digital World's shares rose by around seven percent in after-market trading.
