Parler

Parler: Unregulated Social Media Platform

Parler is a social media platform launched in 2018 emphasizing lack of moderation and censorship, positioning itself as an alternative to mainstream platforms like Twitter.

What is Parler?

Parler is a social networking service launched in August 2018 as an alternative to mainstream social media platforms and content moderation policies. It bills itself as a neutral platform focused on free speech and lacks the content and conduct limitations that larger social media platforms have adopted. The service has been especially popular among conservatives in the United States.

The platform was created by John Matze and Jared Thomson. It originally launched as an invitation-only iOS app but went public in February 2020 and later expanded to Android and web interfaces. After experiencing substantial user growth, Parler was removed from the Apple App Store and Google Play in early 2021 over its minimal content moderation policies, particularly in regards to posts related to the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol.

The lack of content moderation on the platform is presented as a feature, not a bug—as Parler says on its website: 'Speak freely and express yourself openly, without fear of being 'deplatformed' for your views.' However, this has led to the proliferation of hate speech, conspiracy theories, and false or misleading information on the platform with little restrictions or fact checking.

In 2021, in the wake of the Capitol attack, Parler was taken offline by Amazon Web Services due to violating AWS's terms of services regarding content that 'encourages or incites violence.' The takedown prompted significant criticism from conservatives regarding perceived bias and censorship by Big Tech companies. The site returned online in February 2021 with the help of a conservative web infrastructure company.

Parler Features

Official Links