Parler, Social Media App Infamous For Hosting Jan. 6 Content, Back On Apple App Store After A Year

After being offline for nearly a year, the social media network Parler has returned to the Apple Inc.’s AAPL App Store under a new ownership. The site now promises to ban violent and controversial content that led to its previous expulsion.

What Happened: As reported by WIRED on Tuesday, Parler, formerly regarded as a “censorship free” social media platform, is making a comeback with new owners and a fresh approach. The network reemerged on the Apple App Store on Monday after being offline since April 2023.

The new owners assured that the platform will no longer host violent and contentious content that was previously associated with it. The change of ownership involves Ryan Rhodes, a former Republican operative, now serving as the company's CEO, and Elise Pierotti, the returning chief marketing officer.

Parler’s comeback is currently restricted to invite-only, with registration codes to be rolled out this week. The site anticipates approval for Android later this week.

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Why It Matters: Parler’s return comes after a tumultuous year. Following the January 6 Capitol riot in 2021, both Apple and Google removed Parler from their app stores for failing to remove posts encouraging violence and crime.

Subsequently, Parler’s future was cast into doubt as its parent company, Parlement Technologies, reportedly laid off 75% of its staff.

Apple CEO Tim Cook defended the company’s decision to suspend Parler, stating that they were “always trying to do the right thing.”

The network’s previous return in May 2021 saw the appointment of COO George Farmer as the new CEO, as reported by Benzinga. However, the current return marks a significant shift in Parler’s approach towards content moderation.

Photo by Ascannio on Shutterstock

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