Why Parler was removed from Apple and Google's app stores
A battle over online speech is raging. Social media app Parler is down and not expected to come back anytime soon. Before Amazon cut hosting for the Twitter alternative, it was removed from Apple and Google’s app stores. Aside from the app, you could also access Parler on the web. Its site is down, too.
You may be wondering how exactly this happened and why it was allowed. We’ll walk you through what happened and what it means.
First, a quick note: We’re not taking political sides here.
Knowledge is power, and we want you to understand what’s happening in the background from a tech perspective. Let’s jump in, starting with a quick primer on Parler.
What is Parler?
The Twitter-Facebook alternative launched in 2018, then exploded in November to become America’s No. 1 downloaded news app. Parler, French for “to talk,” was set up to be a nonbiased, free speech-driven platform. While it’s supposed to be pronounced “par-lay,” the world has settled on “par-lour.”
Functionally, Parler is almost identical to Twitter. Instead of tweets, you have “parlays.” Instead of retweets, you have “echoes.” You “upvote” a post to show you liked it.
While Parler was not established as a conservative-only platform, most users are right-wing. At no time during registration are you asked your political affiliation. You can read a more in-depth look at Parler and how it works here.
This is a very important fact to know.
Unlike Twitter, which regulates content shared on the platform using internal company policies, Parler bases its user guidelines on the FCC’s obscenity definitions. Strictly put, this asks whether a post “is sexual in nature,” “is offensive,” and “Whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.”
Parler relies on its users to report inappropriate content and posts that violate its guidelines. They don’t have any employees or third-parties fact-checking posts. Verification is strictly community-driven.
Late last week following the attack on the Capitol, Apple and Google said those policies are not enough and demanded Parler adopt a stricter moderation policy.
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