Parler (app)
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| Parler (app) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Parler |
| Developer | Parler LLC |
| Released | 2018 |
| Operating systems | Android, iOS, Web |
| Website | parler.com |
Parler (app) is a social networking service and microblogging platform launched in 2018 by software developer John Matze and entrepreneur Jared Thomson with funding from conservative activist Rebekah Mercer and investor Dan Bongino. The platform positioned itself as an alternative to Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube emphasizing minimal content moderation, user privacy, and free-speech principles, attracting users including politicians such as Donald Trump, commentators like Tucker Carlson, and public figures from the Conservative Party (United States) ecosystem.
History
Parler was co-founded in 2018 amid debates involving Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the 2016 United States presidential election, and scrutiny of content policies by companies such as Twitter, Inc. and Facebook, Inc.. Early investors and backers included the Mercer family and conservative media personalities linked to The Daily Caller and Breitbart News. The app grew during the late 2010s alongside movements associated with Tea Party politics and the post-2016 conservative media ecosystem, seeing spikes in downloads after policy changes at Twitter, Inc. and public controversies involving figures from Alt-right circles. Parler gained substantial attention after the 2020 United States presidential election and the 6 January 2021 attack on the United States Capitol, events that led to platform bans, legal disputes with companies including Amazon.com, Inc., Apple Inc., and Google LLC, and subsequent relaunch efforts under new ownership involving investor George Farmer.
Features and functionality
Parler's design mirrored features of Twitter, Inc. with user timelines, follower models, reposting, "echo" functions, and a character-limited posting style influenced by earlier services like Twitter, Inc. and Tumblr. The platform offered direct messaging, hashtagging, trending topics, and search capabilities reminiscent of Reddit and Gab (social network), while integrating advertising and subscription options analogous to models used by Patreon and Substack. Parler provided mobile applications for Android and iOS and a web interface supporting multimedia uploads and embedding similar to features on Instagram and YouTube. The service emphasized metadata policies and encryption claims referenced against standards from Electronic Frontier Foundation discussions and privacy debates tied to General Data Protection Regulation discourse.
Content moderation and policies
Parler promoted a moderation philosophy aligned with free-speech advocacy groups such as American Civil Liberties Union-style arguments and commentators from Cato Institute-affiliated circles, contrasting with practices at Twitter, Inc. and Facebook, Inc.. Its community guidelines initially forbade illegal content and specific threats while asserting restraint regarding political expression, a stance debated by scholars at institutions like Harvard University, Stanford University, and Yale University who analyzed misinformation, deplatforming, and echo chamber effects after the 2020 election. Parler implemented volunteer moderator systems and community flagging similar in concept to practices debated in reports by Pew Research Center and regulatory hearings in the United States Congress. Content policy changes and inconsistent enforcement prompted analysis from media organizations including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian.
Controversies and legal issues
Parler became central to controversies over the January 2021 United States Capitol attack, with investigations by law enforcement agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and congressional committees referencing posts and coordination claims analyzed in reporting by CNN, NBC News, and Reuters. Major technology companies Amazon Web Services, Apple Inc., and Google LLC removed Parler from their services citing violations of terms of service related to violent content, prompting litigation involving Parler LLC and Amazon.com, Inc. over antitrust and contract claims. Parler filed lawsuits invoking protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and challenging app store removals; legal proceedings touched on precedent from cases involving Zeran v. America Online and debates tracked by legal scholars at Columbia Law School and Georgetown University Law Center. Additional controversies included data scraping incidents evaluated by cybersecurity researchers at Krebs on Security and policy critiques from civil rights groups such as Southern Poverty Law Center.
Business model and funding
Parler's funding history involved investments from conservative donors including the Mercer family and support from media personalities like Dan Bongino and Steve Bannon-associated circles, with subsequent acquisition attempts and management changes involving investors such as George Farmer and entities tied to private equity. Revenue strategies combined advertising, promoted posts, subscription tiers, and bandwidth partnerships similar to monetization models used by Twitter, Inc. and Facebook, Inc., while facing advertising boycotts paralleling controversies surrounding Breitbart News and Infowars. After deplatforming by major cloud providers, Parler pursued alternative hosting arrangements, raising capital via private placements and courting hosting providers in jurisdictions discussed in analyses by Brookings Institution and Council on Foreign Relations.
User base and reception
Parler attracted a user base composed largely of conservative activists, commentators, and supporters associated with figures such as Donald Trump, Alex Jones, and conservative media networks including One America News Network. Reception among technology analysts at Vox, The Atlantic, and Wired (magazine) ranged from praise for free-speech commitments to criticism for amplifying misinformation and extremist content; academic studies by researchers at University of Oxford and University of Washington assessed echo chamber dynamics and cross-platform migration from Twitter, Inc. and Facebook, Inc.. User growth varied with political cycles, app store availability, and legal outcomes, while ongoing debates about content moderation and platform governance linked Parler to broader discussions involving Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, regulatory proposals in the United States Congress, and comparative analyses with platforms like Gab (social network) and Mastodon (software).