Google Removes Parler App for violating the Policy
For those who are hearing about this app for the first time, Parler is a social media network similar to Twitter that is common in the U.S. with the right-wing. The service is uncensored and has drawn millions of followers as consumers are clamped down by popular social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.
Google has removed the Parler app from its Play Store for violating its policies. Parler is a social media platform that has been popular among conservatives and has been accused of being a safe haven for hate speech. Google said in a statement that it removed the app because it “failed to moderate effectively content that encourages violence and advocates hate.”
Google had given Parler a 24-hour ultimatum to remove content that incited violence or it would be removed from the Play Store. This comes after Apple also removed Parler from its App Store on Friday. Apple said in a statement that Parler did not “adequately address the proliferation of these threats to people’s safety.”
Amazon also removed Parler from its hosting web service on Sunday, effectively taking the platform offline. Parler has reportedly been used by some people who stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday.
Following the attack, Parler CEO John Matze said that the company had “worked diligently to ensure our platform satisfies all technology requirements and does not incite violence.”
“We cannot do it alone,” he said. “We need the help of the technology sector, press, and the government.”
Matze also said that Parler would ” take a stand against tech tyranny” and “continue to fight for free speech.” Parler has now been forced offline, with its website displaying a message saying, “Parler is under attack by the tech giants.”
It is not clear how long Parler will be offline for or if it will be able to recover from this. This is a major blow to the platform that has grown in popularity recently. The app has been marketed as an alternative to other social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. It has been popular among conservatives who feel that they have been censored on other platforms.
Parler has also been accused of being a safe haven for hate speech and bigotry. The platform has been criticized for not addressing the spread of disinformation and conspiracy theories.
Parler will now need to find a new web hosting service and app store if it wants to stay afloat.
It remains to be seen if the platform can recover from this setback.
Apple has threatened to delete the app from the App Store within 24 hours, said Parler Chief Executive John Matze, unless Parler introduces more strict moderation procedures. On the other hand, Google has gone ahead and immediately pulled the Parler app from the Play Store.
The app has also been delisted from the Play Store as Google cites an “ongoing and urgent threat to public safety” that they believe results from the lack of “robust moderation of egregious content” by Parler.
Here is what Google said,
“We’re aware of continued posting in the Parler app that seeks to incite ongoing violence in the U.S. We recognize that there can be a reasonable debate about content policies and that it can be difficult for apps to immediately remove all violative content, but for us to distribute an app through Google Play, we do require that apps implement robust moderation for egregious content. In light of this ongoing and urgent public safety threat, we are suspending the app’s listings from the Play Store until it addresses these issues.” – said a Google spokesperson.
