Truth Social is already going back on its word

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The latest social media experiment from former President Donald Trump might want to rethink its marketing copy. Truth Social, which markets itself as pro “free speech,” is already handing out bans to users.

Now, if it was banning users after posting things that go against its terms of service, fair play. No, this ban happened during sign-up, after web developer Matt Ortega got past the long waitlist.

The reason? Ortega tried to sign up with the username @DevinNunesCow. That’s a very similar username to a popular Twitter account that mocks someone very close to Truth Social, ex-Congressman Devin Nunes. He’s now CEO of Trump Media & Technology Group, the company that owns Truth Social.

READ MORE: Truth Social is reportedly banning people for discussing January 6

It looks like Truth Social is censoring its critics and those who dare to mock its leadership. Sounds a lot like cancel culture to me, which I thought was something the political Right in the US was against.

Is Truth Social doomed from the start? One of the longer sections of the terms of service deals with prohibiting some pretty specific sexual kinks. Is that so Apple doesn’t kick them out of the App Store?

The reality of any social media that has to abide by other companies’ app store policies, is that, well, they have to abide by those policies. It doesn’t matter who the owner of the social media platform is, rules are rules.

READ MORE: Truth Social continues to crash and burn as it misses another deadline

The restrictions and bans that Truth Social puts on its own users do prove one thing. Free speech is enshrined in the Constitution, but legal precedent and Section 230 shows that right doesn’t apply to privately owned social media platforms.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.