Truth Social was launched on February 21, 2022. It is a social media platform created by Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), an American media and technology company founded in October 2021 by former US President Donald Trump. Truth Social has been called a “Twitter clone”. Truth Social was created as a response to what Trump and his supporters perceive as censorship and bias against conservative viewpoints on mainstream social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. Since its launch, the application suffered from technical issues, including difficulties during the sign-up process and a waiting list for new users. Despite identifying itself as nonpartisan, many prominent accounts on Truth Social are right-leaning or pro-Trump. A study showed that about half of the 200 most prominent accounts have a reference to being right-leaning or pro-Trump in their profiles. This ideological slant may contribute to its limited growth beyond its core user base, as it is often perceived as a political tool primarily for Donald Trump and his supporters​. A Pew Research Center study found that 2% of U.S. adults use Truth Social for news, and the monthly active users for the application come close to 2 million. Truth Social had accumulated losses of $31.6 million from the time of its launch in February last year until the middle of this year. The company acknowledges it “may not be successful in its efforts to grow and monetize Truth Social” and it faces “significant competition” for ad dollars. Since Trump just launched his reelection bid, he will no doubt use the social media platform as a campaign tool to boost his image and encourage his loyal fans.

Questions:

After browsing Truth Social, describe the predominant themes in the content shared by suggested accounts. How do these themes align with the platform’s stated objectives?

What features does Truth Social currently lack that are available on other social media platforms? How might these features enhance user experience if implemented?

Propose a business model for Truth Social that could attract a more diverse user base. What changes would you suggest to make the platform more inclusive?