““Just in case s— over at Twitter gets even dumber, I’m here [on GETTR] now as well. Rejoice!””
That was Joe Rogan introducing himself on GETTR on Sunday. The popular podcaster became one of the latest boldfaced names to open an account on the far-right social media platform over the weekend — the same day that Twitter permanently banned Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s personal account for multiple violations of its COVID-19 misinformation policy.
Rogan could have cause for concern in that respect, as he has been accused of spreading misinformation throughout the pandemic, as well. He has downplayed the need for young people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, which public health officials including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have advised. He also took ivermectin when he was sick with COVID, despite the Food and Drug Administration warning at the horse and livestock deworming medication is “dangerous and can cause serious harm” to humans.
And GETTR, the social-media platform launched by former senior Trump adviser Jason Miller on the Fourth of July last year, reported that 171,629 new users signed up on Sunday, “the biggest surge in single day signups since launching,” thanks to Rogan and other figures such as comedian Larry the Cable Guy and UFC fighter Tim Kennedy joining the platform in recent days.
“Big Tech is censoring itself into irrelevance. It’s clear deplatforming President Trump was just the beginning in their war on free speech and now they’re coming for anyone who doesn’t conform to their worldview,” said GETTR CEO Jason Miller, a former Trump adviser, in a statement.
As of November 2021, Gettr had almost 3 million total users and almost 400,000 daily average users, Miller told the Washington Post, with a goal of hitting 10 million total users by early 2022..
In comparison, Twitter
TWTR,
counted 211 million daily active users in the third quarter of 2021, which was up 5 million from the previous quarter.
Earnings Results: Twitter adds users, sees revenue rise as it avoids being bogged down by Apple change
But Rogan’s move to the conservative-leaning social media platform — and his tweet inviting his 7.8 million followers to join him — led “GETTR” to trend on Twitter on Sunday well into Monday morning.
GETTR also counted conservative journalist Andy Ngo, political commentator and YouTuber Dave Rubin, comedian Larry the Cable Guy and MMA fighter James Webb among its recent high-profile members.
Twitter also banned Dr. Robert Malone, an mRNA vaccine scientists who has been accused of spreading misinformation about COVID-19, just days before he appeared on Rogan’s podcast last week. Malone has also opened a GETTR account.
And Twitter notably placed a permanent suspension on President Donald Trump’s account last year “due to the risk of further incitement of violence” after a riotous group of Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Related: Most Twitter users are ‘talking to themselves,’ research finds
Rogan made headlines last week, as well, for predicting on his Sirius
SIRI,
podcast that former first lady Michelle Obama would beat Donald Trump in 2024 if President Joe Biden didn’t run for re-election.
“I really believe if Michelle Obama runs, she wins,” Rogan said, angering some in his conservative fan base.