Black Friday isn’t just about cheap TVs, discounted gaming consoles, and saving money on laptops; It’s also about getting a bargain on Faraday cages to stop 5G from melting your brain, getting a great deal on biblically inspired diet pills, and getting that hot pink T-shirt with a photo of President-elect Donald Trump on the front.
This year, far-right extremists, MAGAworld, and conspiracists are jumping on the Black Friday bandwagon to try to persuade their followers to buy unproven health supplements, lame novelty mugs, and guns (lots and lots of guns). .
Instead of advertising on major online marketplaces offered by sites like Google or Facebook, these groups target their audiences where they live, on alternative and fringe online platforms with little to no moderation. Spaces like Gab, a white supremacist-friendly social network run by a Christian nationalist. Or Telegram, where election deniers and neo-Nazi groups sit happily side by side despite new privacy changes introduced this year. And, of course, Trump’s own Truth Social, where his most devoted followers can be found.
Gab and Truth Social did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Telegram spokesperson Remi Vaughn said ads placed through the Telegram Ads platform are vetted before being displayed.
For those feeling a little worn out after Thanksgiving, alternative health company Exodus Strong is offering discounts on a dietary supplement that has “7 Bible-inspired ingredients and a molecular hydrogen-generating blend that optimizes your mind and your body to function the way God intended. The tablets, which are currently advertised for up to 60 percent off at Truth Social, include, among other biblical ingredients, frankincense and myrrh. Those who purchase one of these supplements will even receive a free gift: a prayer plan.
Slightly undermining boasts about the product, however, is the disclaimer on the company’s website that says, “These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”
Launching just in time for Black Friday, the new online store from Rumble, the right-wing YouTube alternative, features a who’s who of conservative conspiracy theorists and agitators on its cover, including Trump confidant Laura Loomer and Russell Brand underwear baptizer.