Social media platform Rumble to bring U.S. headquarters to Sarasota. Here’s what it is
Toronto-based social media company Rumble announced Tuesday it has signed a lease for property on Longboat Key to bring its U.S. headquarters to Sarasota County.
The company said in a news release it plans toinvest about $50 million in Florida over the next several years and employ 20-25 people to start.
In August, the company made headlines as a popular YouTube rival for conservative influencers by paying media personalities that “challenge the status quo,” according to a Washington Post report.
That’s something Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis alluded to in his statement in Rumble’s news release.
“We are thrilled to welcome Rumble to Florida, and we support its mission to promote free expression and stand up to Big Tech censorship,” DeSantis said in the release. “Over the past year, we have seen businesses flock to Florida from across the country because, as long as I am governor, our state will be free and built for opportunity. We wish Rumble all the best in their endeavors in Florida, and we look forward to watching their success.”
Rumble said it had more than 40 million monthly average users as of August 2021, and the company received a boost when Newsweek reported former President Donald Trump joined the platform in June following bans from Twitter, Facebook, Google and YouTube.
Trump launched his own social media company in October, according to various reports.
Rumble’s terms of service does not allow users to engage in hate speech, racism or incite violence, though Slate reported in March the social media platform is popular for misinformation on COVID-19 vaccines.
“Moving to Longboat Key is a win-win for Rumble and the Sarasota community,” Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski said in the news release. “Sarasota County is growing rapidly, and we are excited to be part of the growth. We plan to fill 20-25 new positions in Florida immediately for our U.S. headquarters, with many more planned for the future. This move positions us to continue providing a platform to content creators without the threats from big tech monopolies. We are excited to invest in Florida in the coming years while we continue to grow Rumble.”
According to the news release, “Rumble’s discussions with local officials and stakeholders led the company to choose Sarasota County because of the area’s friendly business climate; its proximity to Tampa, one of the fastest-growing tech cities in America; and the potential for further development. The Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County and Enterprise Florida both played a key role in bringing Rumble to Sarasota.”
