Content
Content on Gettr is mostly right-wing.[12] Journalists reported extreme content on the platform was prevalent, including racism, antisemitism, and terrorist propaganda.[48][11][12] Politico observed the white supremacist Proud Boys organization was being promoted on the platform.[12] Conservative users who have used Gettr include Sean Hannity, Kevin McCarthy, Mike Pompeo, Ben Carson, and Elise Stefanik.[12][49] The Germany-based far-right disinformation outlet Disclose.tv maintains an account on Gettr.[50][51]
Trending topics on the platform on the day of Gettr's beta launch included pro-Trump slogans, as well as hashtags including racist and antisemitic slurs and those referring to unevidenced theories about the origins of COVID-19.[21][52] Shortly after Gettr launched, the platform was inundated with pornography, including hentai.[53][54][55] According to the Institute for Strategic Dialogue and Politico in August 2021, propaganda from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) had begun to "inundate" the platform, including memes encouraging violence against the Western world, beheading videos, and a meme showing Trump being executed in an orange jumpsuit. The content was similar to what has appeared on mainstream platforms like Facebook and Twitter, according to a director of Tech Against Terrorism, but unlike Gettr the other sites have automatic filtering and removal systems in place, and partner through the nonprofit Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism to remove extremist material. In response to questions about the content, Miller said that ISIL was trying to attack
Gettr's terms of service say that the platform may remove content that is "offensive, obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, pornographic, violent, harassing, threatening, abusive, illegal, or otherwise objectionable or inappropriate".[52] In an appearance on Newsmax, Miller touted the app as a "place people won't be canceled". He described the site's moderation system, which he said had already identified "left-of-center people" and "[caught] them and delete[d] some of that content".[30]
According to Miller in September 2021, Brazil was Gettr's second-largest market after the United States, and said Gettr was being used appreciatively by supporters of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro,[59] who himself created an account.[14] In November 2021, Gettr gained nearly 500,000 users in Brazil, or 15 percent of its user base, its second-largest market after the United States.[60] Also according to Miller, Gettr had over 100 moderators as of November 2021, and used artificial intelligence to monitor some content on the platform.[13]
The platform has seen growth in European countries like France, where "political figures, such as Éric Zemmour and Marine Le Pen, have also created their accounts there."[61][62]
In December 2021, Gettr permanently suspended a 23-year-old far-right commentator, white nationalist and former YouTube personality,[63] Nick Fuentes. The site received backlash from Fuentes' fanbase, known as Groypers, as well as Arizona State Senator Wendy Rogers, who wrote, "What is the point of a free-speech alternative to Twitter... that doesn't even honor free speech?"[64] Gettr subsequently banned all use of the word "groyper" on the platform.[65] A Gettr spokesperson said "The user in question violated Gettr's clearly defined terms of use and has been suspended from the platform."[66] Fuentes has also lost access from almost every major platform including Facebook, Instagram, Apple's podcast app, TikTok, Discord, Clubhouse, Spotify, and DLive, along with business and consumer services like
Shortly after joining Gettr, Joe Rogan expressed confusion on The Tim Dillon Show regarding his supposed 9 million follower tally. Miller claimed the figure, exceeding the total number of Gettr users, was meant to show Rogan's "true reach" via a combined Twitter-Gettr follower tally. Prior to this, both Rogan and Dillon dismissed Rogan's follower total as "fugazi" and "fuckery".[68] Miller provided a statement to Gizmodo and The Daily Beast, stating "[w]e've been in contact with Joe Rogan's team and hope that we have addressed any concerns he may have". Gizmodo noted that since Rogan's comments, Gettr appears to have changed "the way these follower counts are displayed" to provide clearer separation.[69][70]
Chinese government influence operations
In September 2023, The Wall Street Journal reported that Gettr was targeted by a Chinese government influence operation called Spamouflage, which aimed to spread disinformation and state propaganda.[71]
On July 29, 2024, in response to a subpoena, Gettr provided "approximately 4,359 posts/replies" from a Virginia man targeting public officials including President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and FBI Director Christopher Wray. The man was charged with making death threats.[72][73]
