Parler

This article is about the social network. For other uses, see Parler (disambiguation).

Parler
Screenshot
A Parler feed showing Andy Biggs
Type of businessPrivate
Type of site
Social networking service
Founded2018; 6 years ago (2018)[1]
Founder(s)John Matze Jr.
Jared Thomson
Rebekah Mercer[1]
CEORyan Rhodes
Key peopleElise Pierotti, Jaco Booyens
IndustryInternet
Employees30 (as of 2020)[2]
URLparler.com
RegistrationRequired
Users700,000 to 1 million (active)
as of January 2022[3]
20 million (total)
as of January 2021[4]
LaunchedSeptember 2018; 6 years ago (2018-09)[5]
Current statusOnline
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Parler (pronounced "parlor") is an American alt-tech social networking service associated with conservatives.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][excessive citations] Launched in August 2018, Parler marketed itself as a free speech-focused and unbiased alternative to mainstream social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.[13][14][15] Journalists described Parler as an alt-tech alternative to Twitter, with its users including those banned from mainstream social networks or who oppose their moderation policies.[16][14][17][18][excessive citations]

Parler received criticism for its content policies, which some journalists and users claimed were more restrictive than the company portrayed and sometimes more restrictive than those of its competitors.[19][20][21][22][excessive citations] Conservatives praised Parler as offering an alternative to censorship they claim to endure on more mainstream platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter.[23]

Parler's userbase grew exponentially during 2020 with minimal content moderation.[24][25] After reports that Parler was used to coordinate the 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol, several companies denied it their services.[26] Apple and Google removed Parler's mobile app from their app stores, and Parler went offline on January 10, 2021, when Amazon Web Services canceled its hosting services.[27][28][29] Before it went offline in January 2021, according to Parler, the service had about 15 million users.[30] Parler called the removals "a coordinated attack by the tech giants to kill competition in the marketplace".[24] Parler resumed service on February 15, 2021, after moving domain registration to Epik.[31] A version of the app with added content filters was released on the Apple App Store on May 17, 2021.[32][33][34] Parler returned to Google Play on September 2, 2022.[35]

Parler was acquired by the digital media conglomerate Starboard on April 14, 2023, and was shut down on the same day.[36] According to a statement by Starboard on the website's holding page, now removed, this was a temporary measure to allow the site to "undergo a strategic assessment".[37][38]

On December 15, 2023, the company was sold to a new co-owner group consisting of Ryan Rhodes, Elise Pierotti and Jaco Booyens. Ryan Rhodes was appointed CEO.[39] A 2024 relaunch was hinted at by the new ownership soon after the company purchase. In January 2024, the company's external social media outlets officially restarted operations to announce the relaunch. The platform itself remains inaccessible, but the website has been restored.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference meet-rebekah-mercer was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Horwitz-WSJ was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Jones, Callum (January 22, 2022). "From the flag-bearer for free speech to 'scapegoat', Parler is fighting back". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  4. ^ "Social media platform Parler is back online on 'independent technology'". CNBC. February 15, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Newsweek was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Parler Is Dead, but Trump Is Still Using Its Newsletter to Raise Cash and Own the Libs". Yahoo Sports. June 16, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  7. ^ Fung, Brian (October 17, 2022). "Kanye West to acquire conservative social media platform Parler". CNN. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  8. ^ "Kanye West agrees to buy right-wing platform Parler". BBC News. October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  9. ^ Browne, Ryan (October 17, 2022). "Kanye West, who now goes by Ye, agrees to buy conservative social media platform Parler, company says". CNBC. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  10. ^ "Kanye West to buy conservative social media app Parler". Al Jazeera. October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  11. ^ Coster, Helen; Datta, Tiyashi; Balu, Nivedita (October 17, 2022). "Kanye West agrees to buy social media app Parler". Reuters. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  12. ^ Turner, Giles (October 17, 2022). "Ye to Buy Controversial Social Networking App Parler". Bloomberg. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  13. ^ "Parler: Where the Mainstream Mingles with the Extreme". Anti-Defamation League. November 12, 2020. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  14. ^ a b Saul, Isaac (July 18, 2019). "This Twitter Alternative Was Supposed To Be Nicer, But Bigots Love It Already". The Forward. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  15. ^ Parker, Bryan C. (December 1, 2020). "I tried Parler, the social media app where hate speech thrives". Chron. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  16. ^ Culliford, Elizabeth; Paul, Katie (June 14, 2019). "Unhappy with Twitter, thousands of Saudis join pro-Trump social network Parler". Reuters. Archived from the original on June 27, 2019. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ Wilson, Jason (January 13, 2021). "Rightwingers flock to 'alt tech' networks as mainstream sites ban Trump". The Guardian. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  19. ^ Lerman, Rachel (July 15, 2020). "The conservative alternative to Twitter wants to be a place for free speech for all. It turns out, rules still apply". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference fortune was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  21. ^ Cameron, Dell (June 30, 2020). "Parler CEO Says He'll Ban Users for Posting Bad Words, Dicks, Boobs, or Poop". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  22. ^ Hadavas, Chloe (July 3, 2020). "What's the Deal With Parler?". Slate. Archived from the original on July 3, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  23. ^ Cite error: The named reference Grumbling told us was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  24. ^ a b Jaehnig, Johnathan (May 31, 2022). "Is Parler Back Online?". MakeUseOf. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  25. ^ Simeone, Michael; Walker, Shawn (July 7, 2022). "How "Big Tech" Became the Right Wing's 2020 Boogeyman". Slate. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  26. ^ "Parler social network sues Amazon for pulling support". BBC News. January 11, 2021. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  27. ^ Nicas, Jack; Alba, Davey (January 10, 2021). "Apple and Google Cut Off Parler, an App That Drew Trump Supporters". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  28. ^ "Parler social network drops offline after Amazon pulls support". BBC News. January 11, 2021. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  29. ^ Paczkowski, John (January 9, 2021). "Amazon Is Booting Parler Off Of Its Web Hosting Service". BuzzFeed News. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  30. ^ Hagey, Keach; Horwitz, Jeff (January 11, 2021). "Parler, a Platform Favored by Trump Fans, Struggles for Survival". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  31. ^ Abril, Danielle (January 19, 2021). "Meet Epik, the right-wing's best friend online". Fortune. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  32. ^ Robertson, Adi (February 15, 2021). "Parler is back online after a month of downtime". The Verge. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  33. ^ Lonas, Lexi (February 15, 2021). "Parler announces official relaunch, says it is back online". TheHill. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  34. ^ Molina, Brett (May 17, 2021). "Parler is back on iPhones: Social media app returns to Apple's App Store". USA Today. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  35. ^ Fischer, Sara (September 2, 2022). "Google brings Parler back to Google Play Store". Axios. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  36. ^ "Conglomerate Starboard buys Parler, to shut down social media app temporarily". Reuters. April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  37. ^ "Parler". parler.com. April 14, 2023. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  38. ^ "Index of /". parler.com. November 14, 2023. Archived from the original on November 14, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  39. ^ "Conservative social media app Parler planning to relaunch ahead of 2024 election". NBC News. December 18, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2024.