ALL NEWS

Parler has now been booted by Amazon, Apple and Google

Jan 9, 2021, 8:33 PM | Updated: Jan 25, 2023, 11:53 am

Amazon Covid-19...

(Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)

(Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)

(CNN) — Parler, the alternative social media platform favored by conservatives, now finds itself virtually homeless on the internet as Amazon, Apple and Google have all booted it from their platforms in a span of a little more than 24 hours.

Amazon will remove Parler from its cloud hosting service, Amazon Web Services, Sunday evening, effectively kicking it off of the public Internet after mounting pressure from the public and Amazon employees.

The decision, which goes into force on Sunday at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time, effectively shuts down Parler’s website until it can find a new Web hosting provider. BuzzFeed News was first to report the move. Parler is an alternative social network popular with conservatives and has been heavily used by supporters of President Donald Trump, including some who participated in Wednesday’s US Capitol unrest.

In a letter obtained by CNN Business that was sent to Parler Chief Policy Officer Amy Peikoff on Saturday, Amazon Web Services said that in recent weeks it has reported 98 examples to Parler of “posts that clearly encourage and incite violence.” The letter includes screenshots of several examples.

“We’ve seen a steady increase in this violent content on your website, all of which violates our terms,” AWS wrote. “It’s clear that Parler does not have an effective process to comply with the AWS terms of service.”

The letter continued: “AWS provides technology and services to customers across the political spectrum, and we continue to respect Parler’s right to determine for itself what content it will allow on its site. However, we cannot provide services to a customer that is unable to effectively identify and remove content that encourages or incites violence against others. Because Parler cannot comply with our terms of service and poses a very real risk to public safety, we plan to suspend Parler’s account.”

After Amazon boots the company from its web hosting service, Parler’s website could be offline for as long as week while “we rebuild from scratch,” CEO John Matze said in a post on his platform.

“We will try our best to move to a new provider right now as we have many competing for our business,” Matze continued.

Matze accused Amazon of trying to “completely remove free speech off the internet.”

The revelation of Amazon’s decision came soon after Apple removed Parler from its app store.

“[T]here is no place on our platform for threats of violence and illegal activity,” the iPhone maker said of its move.

Apple notified Parler of its decision in a message that said it had violated the company’s app store terms.

“The processes Parler has put in place to moderate or prevent the spread of dangerous and illegal content have proved insufficient,” Apple told Parler. “Specifically, we have continued to find direct threats of violence and calls to incite lawless action in violation of Guideline 1.1 – Safety – Objectionable Content.”

Apple’s notice said Parler’s responses to an earlier warning were inadequate, including Parler’s defense that it had been taking violent rhetoric on its platform “very seriously for weeks” and that it had a moderation plan “for the time being,” according to Apple.

“Parler has not taken adequate measures to address the proliferation of these threats to people’s safety,” Apple said in a statement to CNN Business. “We have suspended Parler from the App Store until they resolve these issues.”

Apple’s decision followed a similar move by Google on Friday to drop Parler from the Google Play Store.

John Matze, Parler’s CEO, wrote in a message on his platform that Apple “will be banning Parler until we give up free speech, institute broad and invasive policies like Twitter and Facebook and we become a surveillance platform by pursuing guilt of those who use Parler before innocence.”

“They claim it is due to violence on the platform,” Matze wrote of Apple, whom he also accused of being a “software monopoly,” a particularly relevant attack right now given an ongoing antitrust suit against Apple from Fortnite maker Epic Games. “The community disagrees as we hit number 1 on their store today.”

Matze promised to share “more details about our next plans coming soon as we have many options.”

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

All News

The new 'Unsung Hero' movie is just the dose of wholesomeness you need this weekend....

Steve Salles

KSL Movie Show review: ‘Unsung Hero’ is the wholesome movie you need this weekend

Editor’s note: This is an editorial piece. An editorial, like a news article, is based on fact but also shares opinions. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and are not associated with our newsroom. SALT LAKE CITY — Everyone thinks their mom is the best, as they should. But you might […]

34 minutes ago

...

Deidre McPhillips, CNN

School lunches will have less added sugar, sodium under new rule

There will be new standards for school lunches that will limit the amount of added sugars and reduce sodium in K-12.

1 hour ago

Rain Wasatch Front...

Adam Small

Rain along the Wasatch Front continues into the weekend

Rain along the Wasatch Front continues and has brought some impressive totals so far. More rain expect through this weekend.

2 hours ago

...

SHARA PARK KSLTV.com

Holladay homeowner apologizes to neighbors for home explosion

The Holladay homeowner who lost their home after old dynamite was detonated is saying sorry to her neighbors for the scare

3 hours ago

Southern California tailback Reggie Bush picks up the Heisman Trophy after being announced as the w...

GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer

Reggie Bush is reinstated as 2005 Heisman Trophy winner, with organizers citing NIL rule changes

Reggie Bush has his Heisman back. The Heisman Trust reinstated the former Southern California tailback as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner.

4 hours ago

Federal reserve building...

Analysis by Krystal Hur, CNN

Stagflation fears just hit Wall Street. Now for the next crucial report on prices

The weakest pace of growth since the second quarter of 2022, when the economy contracted, and well below the Atlanta Fed’s estimate of a 2.7% gain.

4 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

a doctor putting her hand on the chest of her patient...

Intermountain Health

Intermountain nurse-midwives launch new gynecology access clinic

An access clinic launched by Intermountain nurse-midwives provides women with comprehensive gynecology care.

Young couple hugging while a realtor in a suit hands them keys in a new home...

Utah Association of Realtors

Buying a home this spring? Avoid these 5 costly pitfalls

By avoiding these pitfalls when buying a home this spring, you can ensure your investment will be long-lasting and secure.

a person dressed up as a nordic viking in a dragon boat resembling the bear lake monster...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Legend of the Bear Lake Monster

The Bear Lake monster has captivated people in the region for centuries, with tales that range from the believable to the bizarre.

...

Live Nation Concerts

All the artists coming to Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre (formerly USANA Amp) this summer

Summer concerts are more than just entertainment; they’re a celebration of life, love, and connection.

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

Parler has now been booted by Amazon, Apple and Google