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Rumble (company)

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Rumble is an online video platform, web hosting, and cloud services business[4][5] headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, with its U.S. headquarters in Longboat Key, Florida. It was founded in 2013 by Chris Pavlovski, a Macedonian Canadian technology entrepreneur. Rumble's cloud services business hosts Truth Social, and the video platform is popular among American conservative and far-right users. Rumble has been described as "alt-tech".

Rumble
Type of site
Video hosting service
Traded asNasdaq: RUM
FoundedOctober 30, 2013; 11 years ago (October 30, 2013)
HeadquartersToronto, Ontario, Canada[1]
Longboat Key, Florida, U.S.[2]
Area servedWorldwide (except blocking countries)[3]
Founder(s)
  • Chris Pavlovski
Industry
ProductsRumble Viral
Locals
ServicesVideo hosting service
ParentRumble Inc.
URLrumble.com
LaunchedOctober 30, 2013; 11 years ago (October 30, 2013)
Current statusActive
ASN

History

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Rumble was founded in October 2013 by Chris Pavlovski as an alternative to YouTube for independent vloggers and smaller content creators.[1][6] Pavlovski founded the platform after seeing that Google was prioritizing influencers on YouTube and not independent content creators.[7] In its early years, Rumble saw only limited popularity. The platform received a large influx of viewership from 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Monthly visitors rose from 1.6 million in 2020, to 31.9 million by 2021.[8] In the first nine months of 2021, Rumble generated more than $6.5 million in revenue, mostly from advertisements, but was not profitable.[9]

The rise of Rumble viewership in 2020 was attributed to then Republican politician Devin Nunes, who accused YouTube of overly censoring his channel. Nunes began posting content on Rumble, with other prominent conservatives, such as Dinesh D'Souza, Dan Bongino, Sean Hannity, and Representative Jim Jordan, following soon after.[6][10][11] In June 2021, former US President Donald Trump joined Rumble in preparation for recording his Ohio campaign rally.[12]

On January 11, 2021, Rumble filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google over its search algorithms, seeking damages exceeding $2 billion.[13][14] Rumble alleged that Google manipulated its algorithm so as to favor Google's own YouTube over Rumble in Google search results. Rumble alleged that this direct manipulation reduced its viewership and resulted in lower advertising revenues for their company.[15] In August 2022, a California judge said that Rumble's case against Google can proceed.[16]

Rumble received investment from venture capitalists Peter Thiel, Vivek Ramaswamy and JD Vance in May 2021, with that round of funding valuing Rumble at around $500 million.[17] In October 2021, Rumble acquired Locals.[18] On December 14, 2021, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) announced that it entered a "wide-ranging technology and cloud services agreement" with Rumble in a statement that also stated that Rumble would operate part of Truth Social as well as TMTG.[19] Also in December 2021, Rumble challenged a New York law prohibiting hate speech on social media.[20]

In August 2022, Rumble announced plans to provide an online advertising platform known as Rumble Ads, with Truth Social as its first publisher.[21][22] Rumble became a publicly traded company in September 2022, trading under ticker RUM on the NASDAQ, after merging with a special-purpose acquisition company.[23] In May 2023, Rumble acquired the podcasting platform CallIn.[24]

In 2023, Rumble was granted exclusive rights to the online stream of the Republican presidential primary debates.[25]

In 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission confirmed that Rumble was under an active investigation, the exact nature of which is unknown.[26] However, Pavlovski stated in January "short-lived investigation was part of a coordinated ploy by short sellers manipulating the market." The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission cleared Rumble from the investigation.[27]

Design and restrictions

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Along with four other tabs in its main interface, Rumble features "recommended channels" to follow and an "Earnings" tab in its interface.[28] Rumble also allows its users to generate revenue from their videos.[28] Users upload videos that are licensed to Rumble's partners, such as Yahoo! and Microsoft News, after which money made from those videos is directly deposited into the Rumble account of the user.[28]

According to the platform's terms and conditions, Rumble forbids pornography, harassment, racism, antisemitism, and copyright infringement.[29] The platform also prohibits illegal content.[6][30][31][32][33] Rumble's policies have been criticized by other alt-tech platforms for not allowing anti-semitism and racism.[34][35]

Rumble has built its own cloud service infrastructure and video streaming capacity.[9]

Users and content

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Rumble's video platform is popular among conservatives[38] and far-right users[42] and has been described as part of "alt-tech" by various observers.[43]

Using data from February 2021, researchers noted that several content creators have gained a receptive audience on Rumble after their content was pulled from YouTube or Facebook. They include Del Bigtree, Sherri Tenpenny, and Simone Gold.[44][45][46] According to a June 2021 article from Slate, "Pavlovski has recently become more outspoken in accusing Big Tech of censorship and now actively courts prominent conservatives and intellectual dark web figures to join Rumble."[35] It also hosted Truth Social as of June 2022.[47] In August 2021, Rumble reached agreements with former Democratic Representative Tulsi Gabbard and The Intercept founder Glenn Greenwald to start posting their videos to the site.[48]

As of August 15, 2022, Rumble reported 78 million monthly active users (MAU).[49] That month, after being banned from most other platforms for hate speech and harmful conduct, kickboxer and social media personality Andrew Tate began posting on Rumble. Tate's move coincided with a significant increase in downloads of the Rumble app.[50][51]

According to an August 2022 Reuters article, Rumble is 'better-funded' and 'more mainstream' than its competitors BitChute and Odysee. Reuters states that all three platforms 'include misinformation and conspiracy theories', with Rumble 'moderating more content' than the other two.[52] Unlike BitChute and Odysee, Rumble does suppress results when searching for some keywords associated with hate speech or extremism, although the content itself is still accessible.[52][53]

According to a May 2022 Pew Research Center study, 20% of American adults have heard of Rumble, while 2% regularly got their news from Rumble. Of regular users, 76% identified as Republicans or were Republican-leaning, while 22% identified as Democrats or were Democratic-leaning. Around 90% of Rumble users believed news hosted on the site was mostly accurate. Most of Rumble's 200 most prominent accounts at that time were run by individuals, 22% of whom had been banned from other social media platforms. 55% of these prominent accounts also had accounts on other websites such as YouTube. A June 2022 review of posts by Pew Research from Rumble's 200 most prominent accounts found that 49% had posted about guns or gun rights, 48% had posted about abortion, 44% had posted about LGBTQ topics (specifically the LGBTQ grooming conspiracy theory), 42% had posted about the January 6 Capitol attack, and 26% had posted about extreme vaccine skepticism.[54][55]

Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Rumble did not follow other social media platforms in banning Russian state media from their site. In November 2022, Rumble was blocked in France, after their refusal to comply with the country's demand for the removal of Russian state media accounts.[41][56]

In early 2023, Rumble began hosting live broadcasts for sports leagues owned by Thrill One Sports & Entertainment such as Nitrocross, Street League Skateboarding, and Power Slap.[57]

In December 2023, Rumble blocked access from Brazil. According to Gazeta do Povo, this was likely done in protest of the Brazilian government's order to remove exiled journalist Allan dos Santos's channel Terça Livre, which had been investigated by Congress for knowingly using fake news to target political opponents.[3]

In May 2024, Rumble was blocked in Russia for not complying with the Russian government's demand to remove content, which Chris Pavlovski deemed as censorship.[58]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Lorinc, Jacob (June 11, 2021). "This Toronto-based website surged to a half-billion-dollar valuation almost overnight — thanks in part to interest from conservative American investors". Toronto Star. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  2. ^ "Rumble Opens New U.S. Headquarters in Longboat Key, Florida". Rumble. March 2, 2023. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Freire Feitosa, Diogenes (December 26, 2023). "Rumble anuncia saída do Brasil em protesto a censura imposta a usuários". Gazeta do Povo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  4. ^ Primack, Dan (April 26, 2022). "Rumble may top Trump's Truth Social". Axios.com. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  5. ^ Coster, Helen (December 14, 2021). "Trump's social media venture partners with Canada's Rumble Inc". Reuters. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c Silverman, Craig (November 2, 2020). "Can Dan Bongino Make Rumble The Right's New Platform?". Buzzfeed News. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  7. ^ Castaldo, Joe (January 9, 2022). "How Rumble, a Toronto-based YouTube alternative, became a refuge for the MAGA crowd (with a US$2-billion valuation)". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  8. ^ "Thiel-Backed Video Platform Rumble Offers Joe Rogan $100 Million to Switch From Spotify". Time. February 7, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Peters, Jeremy W. (March 28, 2022). "Rumble, the Right's Go-To Video Site, Has Much Bigger Ambitions". The New York Times. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  10. ^ "Meet Rumble, the YouTube rival that's popular with conservatives". Fortune. November 30, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  11. ^ Mak, Aaron (June 29, 2021). "Gab Is Furious That Donald Trump Signed Up for Another Right-Wing Social Network". Slate. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  12. ^ Culliford, Elizabeth (June 26, 2021). "Trump Joins Video Platform Rumble Ahead of Ohio Rally". Reuters. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  13. ^ O'Kane, Josh (January 13, 2021). "Toronto video-hosting startup Rumble Inc. sues Google over search result". The Globe And Mail. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  14. ^ "Rumble, Inc. v. Google LLC". 4:21-cv-00229. Retrieved May 14, 2024 – via Court Listener.
  15. ^ Schechner, Sam (January 12, 2021). "YouTube rival Rumble sues Google over search rankings". Market Watch. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  16. ^ Robertson, Adi (August 2, 2022). "Rumble's antitrust lawsuit against Google can proceed, says judge". www.theverge.com. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  17. ^ a b Hagey, Keach (May 19, 2021). "Peter Thiel, J.D. Vance Invest in Rumble Video Platform Popular on Political Right". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  18. ^ "Rumble acquires Locals to help build a bigger creator economy". Yahoo News. October 26, 2021. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  19. ^ Schnell, Mychael (December 14, 2021). "Trump media company inks deal with video platform Rumble". The Hill. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  20. ^ Dolmetsch, Chris (December 1, 2022). "New York Online Hate Speech Law Challenged by Thiel-Backed Rumble". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  21. ^ Kelly, Makena (August 30, 2022). "Truth Social is strapped for cash and struggling to find new users". The Verge. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  22. ^ Coster, Helen (August 23, 2022). "Truth Social to join Rumble's advertising platform". Reuters. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  23. ^ Chapman, Lizette (September 19, 2022). "Peter Thiel-Backed Video Platform Rumble Starts Trading After SPAC Deal". Bloomberg. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  24. ^ "Rumble (RUM) Acquires Podcasting and Live Streaming Platform CallIn". StreetInsider.com (Press release). May 15, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  25. ^ "RNC's livestreaming partner for the GOP debate is a haven for disinformation and extremism". AP News. September 25, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  26. ^ Turton, William (January 8, 2024). "Rumble Is Part of an 'Active and Ongoing' SEC Investigation". Wired. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  27. ^ Howell, Tom (February 21, 2024). "SEC clears Rumble after reports of investigation". The Washington Times. the short-lived investigation was part of a coordinated ploy by short sellers manipulating the market.
  28. ^ a b c Parker, Bryan C. (January 15, 2021). "The next Parler: I tried four apps attracting right-wing users". SFGate. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  29. ^ "Website Terms and Conditions of Use and Agency Agreement". Rumble (website). Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  30. ^ Zakrzewski, Cat (November 16, 2020). "The Technology 202: YouTube alternative Rumble highlights conservatives' move to more hands-off social networks". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  31. ^ Watts, Marina (October 26, 2020). "What Is Rumble? The YouTube Alternative 'Where Conservative Views Won't Be Discriminated Against'". Newsweek. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  32. ^ Isaac, Mike; Browning, Kellen (November 18, 2020). "Fact-Checked on Facebook and Twitter, Conservatives Switch Their Apps". The New York Times. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  33. ^ Mak, Aaron (December 15, 2020). "Meet Rumble, the YouTube Alternative Where Trump Could Still Win". Slate. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  34. ^ Palmer, Ewan (June 28, 2021). "Donald Trump's Rumble account prompts attacks from Gab and Parler founders". Newsweek. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  35. ^ a b Pahwa, Nitish (November 16, 2023). "Truth Social's Harsh Truth". Slate. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  36. ^ Brown, Abram (December 2, 2021). "Is Rumble, A Right-Wing Social Media Company, Already The Next Meme Stock?". Forbes. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  37. ^ Isaac, Mike; Browning, Kellen (November 11, 2020). "Fact-Checked on Facebook and Twitter, Conservatives Switch Their Apps". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  38. ^ [17][36][37]
  39. ^ Dias, Elizabeth (July 8, 2022). "The Far-Right Christian Quest for Power: 'We Are Seeing Them Emboldened'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 2, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  40. ^ Harwell, Drew (August 16, 2021). "Rumble, a YouTube rival popular with conservatives, will pay creators who 'challenge the status quo'". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  41. ^ a b Fuchs, Hailey (March 24, 2022). "Russia state media turn to Rumble to get out their word". Politico magazine. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  42. ^ [39][40][41]
  43. ^
  44. ^ Mak, Aaron (March 18, 2021). "Where Anti-Vaccine Propaganda Went When YouTube Banned It". Slate. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  45. ^ "Rumble terms and conditions". Rumble. Archived from the original on March 27, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  46. ^ "Rumble Sends Viewers Tumbling Toward Misinformation". Wired. May 11, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  47. ^ Coster, Helen; Love, Julia (June 27, 2022). "Politics trumps business in Truth Social's war on Big Tech". Reuters. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  48. ^ Harwell, Drew (August 12, 2021). "Rumble, a YouTube rival popular with conservatives, will pay creators who 'challenge the status quo'". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  49. ^ "Rumble Sets New Monthly Active User Record in August Citing Growth Among 'Gen Z' Users" (Press release). September 7, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  50. ^ Wilson, Cam (August 29, 2022). "How Rumble became the world's most popular video app". Crikey. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  51. ^ Elms, Victoria (September 4, 2022). "Andrew Tate moves to anti-'cancel culture' streaming platform Rumble as social media ban causes surge in activity". Sky News. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  52. ^ a b Marshall, Andrew R. C.; Tanfani, Joseph (August 22, 2022). "SkewTube: New video-sharing sites thrives on misinformation and hate". Reuters. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  53. ^ Newman, Kevin (February 19, 2022). "Investigating Canadian YouTube rival Rumble and its growing popularity among the world's far right". CTVNews. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  54. ^ Ghosh, Shreenita; Stocking, Galen (December 21, 2022). "Key facts about Rumble". Pew Research Center. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  55. ^ "4. Content from prominent alternative social media accounts highlights extreme vaccine skepticism, anxiety over LGBTQ issues". Pew Research Center's Journalism Project. October 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  56. ^ "Rumble, une plate-forme de vidéos non modérée, est bloquée en France" [Unmoderated video site Rumble blocked in France]. Le Monde (in French). November 2, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  57. ^ Mondy, Ben (June 27, 2023). "Street League Skateboarding Is Now Streamed on Platform Known for Right-Wing Audience". The Inertia. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  58. ^ Findlay, Rick (August 8, 2024). "Rumble Is Blocked in Russia After Refusing Censorship Requests, CEO Says". www.reclaimthenet.org. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
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