As we continue to see more censorship issues arise from Big Tech, a call for alternative platforms has risen.
The permanent de-platforming of President Trump on Twitter or YouTube’s decision to ax any videos they deem to possess ‘false claims,’ has made many scramble for social media platforms that embrace free speech.
These are the most notable of the emerging platforms:
Conservatives have moved en masse to Parler, a site that stands against the de-platforming of ideas to meet the demands of special-interest groups. Amazon attempted to wipe them out of existence by taking them off of their web server, but Parler worked around these issues and made a reappearance on February 15, 2021. Notable users that have already joined the platform include Senator Ted Cruz, Ivanka Trump, Tucker Carlson, and Nikki Haley.
MeWe:
MeWe has also emerged as a popular alternative to Facebook, with their leading platform point as, “not shar(ing) or sell(ing) your personal information to advertisers or marketers.” It was founded by Mark Weinstein when he recognized privacy issues and a change in the nature of social media.
If you’re looking for a break from Zoom, but still want to engage in discussions with friends, Clubhouse may be the perfect alternative. Within the app, you are able to utilize rooms where you can play the role of moderator, speaker, or listener; allowing you the ability to control how much you want to participate in a chat. However, there is a large drawback to Clubhouse, in that there are still guidelines that contradict free speech and could cause removal from their platform.
An alternative streaming source to Big Tech’s YouTube, is Rumble, a platform favored by conservatives, such as Dan Bongino and Sean Hannity, to stream videos. They made waves in January 2021, by filing a lawsuit against Google due to alleged antitrust violations. Rumble has been recognized not only as one of the fastest-growing tech companies, but as a top 10 mobile site. Rumble Viral already has 1.1 million subscribers.
Clapper has emerged as a digital media platform to replace TikTok, dedicate itself to free speech, and promote "people's real lives as they unfold." Users are able to respond to other users content with a "clapback," or a feature designed to share whether one agrees or disagrees with the video content. Clapper's algorithm is also unique, in their decision to not prioritize users with large followings over everyday community members.
While there are still other, smaller alternative platforms emerging to fight back against Big Tech; Parler, MeWe, Clubhouse, Rumble, and Clapper currently hold more prominent positions amongst social media alternatives. Down the line, we may still see new alternative platforms emerge led by former President Donald Trump and MyPillow CEO, Mike Lindell.