Video streaming service Rumble released a statement reaffirming the platform’s stance on freedom of speech for creators.
The statement follows a week of advertiser pressure encouraging Rumble to demonetize and deplatform comedian and podcaster Russell Brand, who has an exclusive partnership with the outlet.
“Rumble has been under relentless attack from governments and the mainstream media on various fronts,” the company wrote in a Wednesday statement. “What they fail to understand is that every attack only emboldens our community and makes us stronger.”
“Rumble was built for pressure and built for these types of moments,” the company said.
Now is the moment to support creators and #SupportFreeSpeech.
Our statement… pic.twitter.com/RqKOpIAa4S
— Rumble – 🏴☠️ $RUM (@rumblevideo) September 27, 2023
“Our infrastructure, our ad system, and most importantly, our staff has never been more prepared and ready for whatever comes at us,” the statement reads.
Rumble noted users have asked how to support the platform during the advertiser pressure campaign and suggested users throw support behind content creators instead.
“It’s our creators who bring us the truth,” the outlet wrote. “It’s our creators that make Rumble strong. It’s our creators who need your support.”
The platform announced an open call asking creators to reach out to their Rumble and local representatives to enable a #SupportFreeSpeech” promo code. The code will give viewers one free month membership to content creators’ Locals community.
On Tuesday, Rumble released a similar statement touting the platform’s immunity to cancel culture.
“We are not big-tech,” Rumble wrote in a statement shared by Rumble’s head of product Rick Racela. “We are for people with something to say and something to share, who believe in authentic expression, and want to control the value of their own creations.”
We ARE FEARLESS in our pursuit of this mission.
Trust me. pic.twitter.com/1yIFKJs89i
— Rick Racela (@ric_rac) September 26, 2023
“We create technologies that are immune to cancel culture,” Rumble’s Tuesday statement continued. “Everyone benefits when we have access to more ideas, diverse opinions, and dialogue.”
Late last week, Rumble received a letter from the United Kingdom Parliament asking about Brand’s monetization on the platform after accusations of sexual misconduct surfaced against the comedian.
“While Rumble obviously deplores sexual assault, rape, and all serious crimes, and believes that both alleged victims and the accused are entitled to a full and serious investigation, it is vital to note that recent allegations against Russell Brand have nothing to do with content on Rumble’s platform,” Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski responded.
Rumble's response to the UK Parliament's letter to our CEO @chrispavlovski pic.twitter.com/iSCpHIHoU4
— Rumble – 🏴☠️ $RUM (@rumblevideo) September 20, 2023
“Rumble stands for very different values,” Pavlovski continued. “We have devoted ourselves to the vital cause of defending a free internet – meaning an internet where no one arbitrarily dictates which ideas can or cannot be heard, or which citizens may or may not be entitled to a platform.”
The statement continued:
We regard it as deeply inappropriate and dangerous that the UK Parliament would attempt to control who is allowed to speak on our platform or to earn a living from doing so. Singling out an individual and demanding his ban is even more disturbing given the absence of any connection between the allegations and his content on Rumble. We don’t agree with the behavior of many Rumble creators, but we refuse to penalize them for actions that have nothing to do with our platform. Although it may be politically and socially easier for Rumble to join a cancel culture mob, doing so would be a violation of our company’s values and mission.
“We emphatically reject the UK Parliament’s demands,” the company concluded.
