Social media platform Parler, popular with American right-wing users, which vanished from Google and Apple's app stores last week, was back online on Sunday with a message for the company's "lovers and haters." However, Parler's app remains offline despite the company's website making a comeback.
"Hello world, is this thing on?" Parler CEO John Matze wrote on the company's website, above a note from the company saying the platform would be restored after challenges were resolved. Parler's app was banned by Google and Apple and was taken off their app stores following the Capitol riot on January 6. Shortly after that Amazon suspended Parler from its web hosting service.
Hinting at a Comeback
Parler remained suspended for little over a week before it was back online on Sunday. A note from the company read: "Now seems like the right time to remind you all — both lovers and haters — why we started this platform."
The note posted on website goes on to explain that free speech is essential for which the social media app was launched but at the same time privacy is of utmost importance. "We believe privacy is paramount and free speech essential, especially on social media. Our aim has always been to provide a nonpartisan public square where individuals can enjoy and exercise their rights to both."
Parler has been at the center of controversy in the wake of the Capitol rot on January 6 and has slammed by many for playing a key role on that day in inciting violence by right-wing activists.
What's Next?
It's still not known when the app will be fully back and if it will again be accessible, as Matze didn't make anything clear about that. However, it can be assumed that the company is working toward its privacy policy and doesn't want to give up. As of Monday, Parler's app was still unavailable for download on both the Apple App Store and Google Play on Sunday.
Apple suspended Parler in the wake of the Capitol riot last Sunday, following which Google also banned it from Google Play. A day later Amazon suspended Parler from its web hosting service, effectively taking the site offline unless it can find a new company to host its services.
On Monday, Parler hit back at Amazon with a lawsuit accusing it of breach of contract violating an antitrust law over the tech titan's decision to stop hosting the site. In response, Amazon said it had time and again warned Parler about its users' violent posts and that the company failed to promptly remove them.
Investigation following the Capitol siege showed that pro-Trump supporters actively used Parler during the riot to post messages and videos, thus inciting violence. The deleted posts were archived by a hacker @Donk_Enby, who claimed that the post give "very incriminating evidence" of the riot on January 6.
