GETTR: refuge of freedom of expression for better or for worse?

At the foundation of the Internet was a banner word: Freedom ! Yes, this sprawling creation that was the World Wide Web positioned itself as the pinnacle of freedom! That of speaking with whoever you want, of saying what you want and of sharing your opinions in order to assert them. Then, this canvas that some thought was only a passing fad became the foundation of a new reality. The Internet is everywhere, indispensable, indestructible and omniscient. Social networks bring together billions of people, creating new worlds with new rules specific to each of them. That of Twitter had to resolve to set up censorship when the comments which were shared there were not in adequacy with the policy of use. Donald Trump was one of the most famous “victims”, seeing himself banned there in January 2021 after the White House riots. A first step that led to the creation of GETTR.

New world

Jason Miller was Donald Trump’s advisor and spokesperson for 5 years. Seeing that his employer was having more and more difficulty finding a platform that would let him speak freely, he offered simply create your own. The president in place at the time refuses but the idea does not leave Miller who will even bring it to the end. This is how GETTR was launched in the United States on July 4, 2021. A date that is not by chance, it which celebrates the independence of the American nation. In terms of its operation and general look, it is neither more nor less than a copy of Twitter where red replaces blue. The shared texts can however be 777 characters long instead of the 280 of his inspiration. Where GETTR differs is above all that there is no censorship.

Speech release

This is indeed the first argument of the one which presents itself as ” a brand new social media platform based on the principles of free speech, independent thought, rejection of political censorship and cancel culture “. Only sharing dealing with pornography is prohibited. For the rest, it’s open bar. All those who find themselves there have therefore the opportunity to share their opinions freely and without fear of being banned. This is how GETTR has become the refuge of numbers of representatives of the American alt-right, conspirators, polemicists and many figures of the French extreme right. The latter were fed up with being suspended or closed their accounts on Twitter and Miller’s platform welcomes them with open arms.

Eric Zemmour is followed by more than 27,000 subscribers. The same goes for Papacito, the influencer who advocates virilism, guns and hates “guys who stink of fragility”. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro counts him more than 508,000 followers ! The white supremacist Daniel Conversano describes himself as “Proud to be European and father of 2 white children”. We therefore discover a large free field to actually say what we want and sexist, racist or homophobic remarks thus find a column that is not there to judge them. Alister Riviere, strategic director of GETTR France, explains this enthusiasm:

The idea of ​​GETTR is to ensure that all people can freely express their opinions. Current social networks go beyond their moderation charter, they are zealous for political content or current affairs debates. This leaves a space for GETTR to exist.

So there is room for all, but not all take it.

To the right all but one would not also go a little to the left?

For now, this new social network seems to be going only one way and we will have to wait until it is also populated by people who go in the other to make it. a true champion of freedom of expression. It is therefore up to those who want to launch the debates to register themselves to balance the exchange of ideas. Will GETTR and its current subscribers make them the guard of honor, happy to finally see themselves as a symbol of the liberation of universal speech and less censors than Tweeter? We are waiting to see.