Parler

Parler is an American-based social network service that was promoted by its creators as being free of censorship. This differed from many other social media sites in that Parler did not censor content unless it was illegal or spam. The company’s membership reportedly grew exponentially in the last quarter of 2020. This was attributed to an influx of political conservatives dissatisfied with censorship on other social media platforms during the 2020 presidential election. Parler was criticized by some who felt its policies were too tolerant of hate speech and promoted the spread of misinformation. It was shut down after it was sold in April 2023. It was sold again in December 2023. While the new owners hinted that there might be a relaunch, as of late 2024, the platform remained inaccessible.

Background

Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Parler was founded in Henderson, Nevada, in August 2018 by John Matze, Jr. and Jared Thomson. Matze was the company’s chief executive officer and Thomson its chief technical officer. Both men graduated from the University of Denver; Matze in 2014 and Thomson the following year.

Parler was established with funds from angel investors, or individuals who provide start-up funds for more risky ventures in exchange for an ownership stake. These investors are not always identified. In June 2020 it was announced that Dan Bongino acquired an ownership stake in the company. Bongino was a former police officer and Secret Service agent who became a conservative commentator and radio show host. In November 2020, billionaire heiress Rebekah Mercer was also identified as one of Parler’s early investors.

The site’s name is derived from the French word parler, which means “to speak” or “to talk.” It is pronounced “parlor,” as in the room in a house where people often sit and talk with guests. Messages posted on the site are known as “parleys.” Reposts of someone else’s posts are called echoes, and instead of “liking” a post, users “upvote” posts they enjoy. Users can block each other and report posts that go against the site’s rules.

Overview

According to Parler’s website, the company was founded in response to changes in policies of tech giants such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google that were prompted by what Parler called “special-interest groups.” Parler promoted itself as a place where people could share their viewpoints without fear of being “deplatformed,” or not allowed to post. It made frequent mention of allowing and promoting free speech and said it was viewpoint-neutral.

People who visited the Parler website or downloaded its app and created an account could view a news feed like those on other social media sites. They were able to follow other users and see their posts. They could also create their own posts of up to one thousand characters and receive news that could be customized to their interests. Parler also promoted some users—usually high-profile conservative politicians and influencers—and encouraged other users to follow them.

Unlike other social media sites, Parler claimed it did not have fact-checkers that review and censor posts based on their stated views. It did have community guidelines that listed some types of posts that were not allowed. These included any posts that promoted illegal acts, such as threats of harm and pornography, as well as any that included material protected by copyright. Spam—irrelevant material sent to large numbers of users—was also prohibited, along with any content from identified terrorist organizations. Users could report rule violations, which were then reviewed by a volunteer group of other users. Parler claimed this was the only review of content, which was not reviewed by employees or fact-checkers. This was said to prevent what it called opinionated “bullies” from determining what viewpoints were acceptable.

In its early years, the company’s owners stated that the majority of Parler’s users were conservatives, mostly from the United States, with a small percentage from Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries. Many of its highest profile users had been banned or censored by other social media sites, including Twitter and Facebook. Parler achieved the 100,000-user mark in May 2019 and began to grow as conservatives began migrating to Parler and encouraging their followers to do the same.

In the run-up to the 2020 presidential election, membership continued to grow. In May 2020, when Twitter flagged posts by President Donald Trump as misleading, Parler began a campaign to actively encourage people frustrated with other platforms to move. The company created a Twitter hashtag, #twexit, to promote the campaign. The platform attracted attention both within and outside the United States, and membership increased to about five million. The rate of new members spiked in the week after the US election on November 3, 2020. Many conservative Republicans, reportedly dissatisfied with the election’s outcome and frustrated with fact-checking labels attached to election-related posts on other platforms, signed up for Parler. This pushed its membership to about ten million and made it the number one downloaded app that week.

Parler was subjected to criticism from many sources, who claimed its policies promoted hate speech and racism. Some of this criticism stemmed from the unrestricted presence of groups that many considered to be extremist hate groups, such as the Proud Boys. The platform was accused of allowing anti-Semitic comments and other hate speech as well as comments that advocated violence.

Parler was also accused of allowing widespread misinformation about alleged election fraud in the 2020 presidential election and the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic. Critics argued the platform was dangerous because it did not stem the flow of misinformation and allowed posts that fostered and promoted conspiracy theories.

Despite the sudden surge of growth, some industry experts questioned whether Parler would last. Previous similar platforms often struggled and failed to maintain significant growth. Some experts also noted that the strong conservative presence on Parler could become a drawback, since part of the social media experience for all political viewpoints was debating, arguing, and engaging in the vilification of people who hold opposing views. Parler did see a surge in left-wing users alongside conservatives, with some seeking to engage in legitimate debate and others acting as internet trolls. (There was also a spike in fake accounts of all kinds as the platform grew in popularity.) However, some users reported being banned for expressing left-wing views, leading to accusations that Parler did not in fact support nonpartisan free speech but rather simply used that term as a marketing tool.

Parler also faced logistical challenges as it grew both more popular and more controversial. In early January 2021 Google and Apple banned the app from their online stores, claiming that it was too lenient about users supporting violence and criminal activity. Soon after, fellow tech industry giant Amazon announced it would no longer allow Parler to use its web-hosting platform. These moves came after Trump supporters violently stormed the US Capitol on January 6 in an effort to overturn the presidential election results, bringing heightened scrutiny of right-wing domestic terrorism. Parler was heavily criticized for allowing posts supportive of the attack, which left five people dead, and potential further violence. As a result of the removal of support from major tech companies, Parler went offline for about a month, during which cofounder and CEO Matze was removed from the company by its board of directors. It relaunched in mid-February 2021.

Following its relaunch Parler remained controversial, and many called for further investigations into its alleged role in the events of January 6. The US House of Representatives select committee investigating the January 6 attack later requested portions of Parler's records in August 2021 to aid in its investigation. (The House committee previously requested Parler's funding information in February.) A version of the Parler app that filters out posts identified as hate speech was later readmitted to the Apple App Store in May of that year. In October 2022, Parler announced that it had agreed to sell ownership of the platform to Kanye West, who was banned from Twitter and Instagram after he had used his accounts to make anti-Semitic remarks. Then, in December of that year, Parler announced that the deal regarding the platform's sale to West had been mutually terminated.

In April 2023, Parler was acquired by Starboard, a digital media conglomerate, and was immediately shut down. It was resold to a group of buyers in December 2023, who considered relaunching it in 2024. While its website was restored during that year and an app was available on Apple, as of early 2025, its platform remained inaccessible.

Bibliography

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