How Rumble went from a family-friendly Canadian startup to a megaphone for U.S. election deniers

As the U.S. gears up for the upcoming election, far-right commentator Steven Crowder has big plans for election night. Crowder, known for his controversial views and debunked claims of voter fraud, has announced that he will be livestreaming his show on the video-sharing platform Rumble until a winner is declared. He believes that this could potentially make his livestream the “longest-lasting election night livestream in internet history.”

Crowder has promised that the Nov. 5 show will focus on highlighting “election anomalies coast-to-coast,” reported to him by “undercover” journalists and volunteer poll watchers. The livestream will also feature appearances by other pundits known for spreading electoral disinformation, including Alex Jones, Dan Bongino, and Tim Pool — all of whom have their own popular channels on Rumble, with a collective following of 3.8 million.

Rumble founder and CEO Chris Pavlovski expressed his excitement about capitalizing on this type of content. However, non-partisan election watchdog groups in the U.S. have raised concerns about efforts by right-wing and pro-Trump activists to interfere with the voting process. These efforts have included documented attempts to influence the certification process and pare down voter rolls.

Ishan Mehta, director of the media and democracy program at Common Cause, a voting rights advocacy group, emphasized the role of disinformation in causing issues within the electoral process. While much attention has been focused on other social media platforms, Rumble has quietly emerged as an important player in the dissemination of disinformation.

Rumble, founded in Toronto in 2013, initially gained popularity as a site for wholesome pet videos. However, as the platform struggled to compete with big tech companies, it was transformed into a space where extremists, conspiracy theorists, and election deniers could thrive.

Pavlovski, the mastermind behind Rumble, had previously run a humor website called Jokeroo. He aimed to compete with YouTube by appealing to smaller creators through more generous revenue-sharing policies. The platform’s success attracted creators like Rebecca Stout, a retired writer from Tennessee, who saw significant earnings from her viral pet videos.

While Rumble initially focused on warm and fuzzy content, its revenues dropped significantly in the following year as it struggled to compete with YouTube. However, the platform experienced a resurgence during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, attracting conservative influencers who had been banned from other social media platforms.

With the influx of conservative influencers, Rumble caught the attention of investors with close ties to Trump. In 2021, a major investment from venture capital firm Narya Capital and Thiel valued the company at $500 million. Rumble subsequently moved its headquarters to Florida and went public with the help of billionaire Howard Lutnick.

As Rumble’s user base grew among conservative audiences, the platform signed content deals with controversial figures and promoted false claims about recent election cycles in the U.S. Crowder’s upcoming election night livestream is just one example of the platform’s increasing role in spreading electoral disinformation.

As the U.S. prepares for the upcoming election, the role of platforms like Rumble in influencing public opinion and spreading disinformation remains a concern for election integrity advocates. The livestream on Nov. 5 promises to be a focal point for those watching the impact of social media on the electoral process.