In brief
Modi's debut on Truth Social highlights the platform's growth and challenges amidst the backdrop of social media dynamics.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stepped into the social media waters of Truth Social, a platform owned by U.S. President Donald Trump. In his inaugural post, Modi shared a nostalgic 2019 photograph of himself with Trump taken during a U.S. visit, expressing his excitement about joining the platform. Truth Social, launched in February 2022, came about after Trump's temporary ban from leading social networks due to accusations of inciting violence. Since joining, Modi has gained 21,500 followers and is following both Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance.In addition to his social media debut, Trump referenced an interview where Modi discussed various significant topics, including the Gujarat riots and India-China relations. With functionalities similar to X (formerly Twitter), users interact by posting 'truths' and 'retruths' while advertisements are labeled as 'sponsored truths'. Trump currently boasts 9.28 million followers on Truth Social, though this is notably less compared to his 87 million followers on X. Reports indicate that Truth Social continues to lag behind its competitors, with a user base approximately 400 times smaller than X. Financially, Truth Social has faced challenges, reporting $400 million in losses yet reaching a market valuation of $4.45 billion.
