I had already signed up with Rumble a while back because it is an alternate platform to watch creators temporarily suspended on YouTube, and a creator may have exclusive Rumble content. Whether that was Viva Frei or Allison Morrow, Rumble is usually where I could find them. Beyond that, I never really dug into the other content until recently, and I was amazed at what I found.
Since I am into the sciences, electronics, nature, documentaries, and the occasional viral video, space weather is especially interesting to me, mainly because it affects celestial radio services. As an amateur radio operator, solar weather dramatically affects how far frequencies propagate. So, I need to know how it will affect the radio bands. I miss watching Dr. Tamitha Skov on YouTube; hopefully, one day, she will start placing her content on Rumble because her information is invaluable to amateur radio, aurora watchers, and even airline pilots. In the meantime, it’s the Space Weather News channel for me. A short and to-the-point forecast is exactly what I need.
Something else I have recently taken an interest in is lock picking and physical security. Luckily, my favorite content creator on this subject is placing his content on Rumble. The LockPickingLawyer videos are a fascinating foray into locks and premises security. In some cases, not so much. Check out his video on a not-so-gun safe, and you will see what I mean. I have purchased products he covers to better secure my home. I have also picked up a few items from his Covert Instruments store to facilitate learning the lock-picking skill.
Moving beyond solar weather and picking locks, are you looking for homesteading information? Another content creator I watch regularly is Homesteading Family. Their videos can be found on both Rumble as well. If you are interested in gardening, canning, long-term food preservation, making cheese, glassing eggs, and even rendering lard, they might have what you’re looking for.
How about cooking? Believe it or not, Rumble has a plethora of cooking and recipe videos. One of my new favorite chefs, Chef Andrew Gruel, made some of them. He has a recipe for an excellent seed oil-free mayonnaise. You cannot beat it, but you do have to whisk it. Other recipes like Hasselback potatoes, tiramisu parfait, and a reverse-seared tomahawk steak are also available. Rumble most likely has you covered in the cooking and recipe department.
Interestingly, though, Rumble also covers learning topics that might be useful to someone homeschooling their children. From PragerU videos, algebra lessons for that refresher, and even videos covering biology and chemistry. Learning videos away from YouTube on an alternate platform is available for the parent.
As I sit here writing this article and listening to LoFi Girl Synthwave Radio stream, I am not missing YouTube because most of what I enjoy or need is available on Rumble. Is there more content on YouTube? Certainly. Do I still look up videos on YouTube? If they are not available on Rumble, sure. But YouTube’s buildup took time. So, one day, hopefully, Rumble will eventually rival the largest video platform on the planet as more creators and content move over.
While Rumble is definitely in its infancy and is still adding content, features are being added or updated regularly. One of the features I do like is, if I’m listening to a podcast like UncoverDC, Kyle Seraphin or Dan Bongino (who recently reached 100K consecutive viewers) on my phone, I can minimize the app or let the screen go dark, and I am still able to listen to it. Other features, like search, are being improved with auto-complete and are now going live. Interestingly, Rumble is also currently working on their own streaming tool that is independent of StreamYard or OBS. So, eventually, creators will have an alternate choice of streaming software, too. Beyond that, the platform is also divesting itself from major web services like Amazon, so they can’t be shut down like Parler in 2021.
While BitChute, Odysee, and other platforms are available, Rumble appears to have taken the spotlight recently because of its stance on free speech and freedom of content. For example, “GunTube” creators are being heavily restricted by YouTube on their content. In some cases, retroactively. Mrgunsngear has had his YouTube channel suspended with multiple strikes. Some videos were taken down merely for inserting a magazine holding more than 30 rounds into a firearm or because he threaded a suppressor onto his weapon. Ridiculous, I know. But now he has a home to place his content unrestricted while edited content versions of the videos are on YouTube.
The freedom Rumble is fighting for is coming at a cost, though, to the point that, as of November of 2022, Rumble is currently not available in France because they refused to remove content. A workaround for that, however, is to use a VNP. Freedom will find a way on an open internet. They are also being attacked for their free speech stance by Media Matters for America and Check My Ads. Covered in a recent article by Tracy Beanz, Rumble has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Check my Ads et al. for defamation and tortious interference.
Founded by Chris Pavlovski in 2013, Rumble clearly provides a place where small creators are prioritized over incumbent platforms, media corporations, and large brands. This and their free speech stance have attracted many across the political spectrum. From Dan Bongino, as mentioned before, to Glenn Greenwald, John Stossel, Roseanne Barr, and recently, Tucker Carlson, along with his new Tucker Carlson Network. All this despite the mainstream media calling Rumble a right-wing haven for conspiracy theories and misinformation. Rumble will be the future, whether MSM likes it or not.
As an American with principles, it is difficult for me to continue patronizing an establishment or platform or buying a product from a company that does not support American values. I find it interesting when certain creators complain about YouTube, their policies, and their actions but would rather take the money than do something about it. So, I challenge you, the reader, as we soon ring in 2024, will you #demonetizeYouTube?
David Setliff is a writer who "delivers a worldview from the rural perspective." He is the author of The Flyover Chronicles on Substack. You can also follow Dave on X.
As I sit here writing this article and listening to LoFi Girl Synthwave Radio stream, I am not missing YouTube because most of what I enjoy or need is available on Rumble. Is there more content on YouTube? Certainly. Do I still look up videos on YouTube? If they are not available on Rumble, sure. But YouTube’s buildup took time. So, one day, hopefully, Rumble will eventually rival the largest video platform on the planet as more creators and content move over.
While Rumble is definitely in its infancy and is still adding content, features are being added or updated regularly. One of the features I do like is, if I’m listening to a podcast like UncoverDC, Kyle Seraphin or Dan Bongino (who recently reached 100K consecutive viewers) on my phone, I can minimize the app or let the screen go dark, and I am still able to listen to it. Other features, like search, are being improved with auto-complete and are now going live. Interestingly, Rumble is also currently working on their own streaming tool that is independent of StreamYard or OBS. So, eventually, creators will have an alternate choice of streaming software, too. Beyond that, the platform is also divesting itself from major web services like Amazon, so they can’t be shut down like Parler in 2021.
While BitChute, Odysee, and other platforms are available, Rumble appears to have taken the spotlight recently because of its stance on free speech and freedom of content. For example, “GunTube” creators are being heavily restricted by YouTube on their content. In some cases, retroactively. Mrgunsngear has had his YouTube channel suspended with multiple strikes. Some videos were taken down merely for inserting a magazine holding more than 30 rounds into a firearm or because he threaded a suppressor onto his weapon. Ridiculous, I know. But now he has a home to place his content unrestricted while edited content versions of the videos are on YouTube.
The freedom Rumble is fighting for is coming at a cost, though, to the point that, as of November of 2022, Rumble is currently not available in France because they refused to remove content. A workaround for that, however, is to use a VNP. Freedom will find a way on an open internet. They are also being attacked for their free speech stance by Media Matters for America and Check My Ads. Covered in a recent article by Tracy Beanz, Rumble has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Check my Ads et al. for defamation and tortious interference.
Founded by Chris Pavlovski in 2013, Rumble clearly provides a place where small creators are prioritized over incumbent platforms, media corporations, and large brands. This and their free speech stance have attracted many across the political spectrum. From Dan Bongino, as mentioned before, to Glenn Greenwald, John Stossel, Roseanne Barr, and recently, Tucker Carlson, along with his new Tucker Carlson Network. All this despite the mainstream media calling Rumble a right-wing haven for conspiracy theories and misinformation. Rumble will be the future, whether MSM likes it or not.
As an American with principles, it is difficult for me to continue patronizing an establishment or platform or buying a product from a company that does not support American values. I find it interesting when certain creators complain about YouTube, their policies, and their actions but would rather take the money than do something about it. So, I challenge you, the reader, as we soon ring in 2024, will you #demonetizeYouTube?
David Setliff is a writer who "delivers a worldview from the rural perspective." He is the author of The Flyover Chronicles on Substack. You can also follow Dave on X.
