Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Parler app back online after month-long gap

Parler app back online after month-long gap

Controversial social-media app Parler has come back online after more than a month without service.

The Twitter-like app was a favourite among supporters of former US President Donald Trump and right-wing conservatives.

It was banned from Google and Apple's app stores and Amazon's web-hosting service, after an armed mob broke into the US Capitol building on 6 January.

But now, the self-styled free-speech platform says it is "here to stay".

The app was not available for all users immediately, however.

And users reported their posts from the previous version had vanished from their profiles.

'Independent technology'


Parler said the plan was to bring the service back online for existing users first, with new users able to sign up in a week's time.

And it was no longer working with a "big-tech" provider but was "built on sustainable, independent technology".

During its gap in service, the company also sacked vocal chief executive John Matze, replacing him with interim boss Mark Meckler.

"We will thrive as the premier social-media platform dedicated to free speech, privacy, and civil dialogue," Mr Meckler said.

And the decision of other technology companies to cut ties with Parler had been taken "by those who desire to silence tens of millions of Americans".

While users who already have the app downloaded can log in, it is more difficult to install onto phones that did not have it before.

Android users must "sideload" the software, meaning it has to be sourced and installed without using Google's Play Store.

And iPhone users trying to reinstall the app or download it for the first time from Apple's App Store are told it is "not currently available".


Late last year, as Twitter banned some Trump supporters and then President Trump himself, Parler soared up the app charts. It had what every fledgling online business seeks, momentum - until it was stopped in its tracks.

Now it is back, but in a very limited form. It is still unavailable on app stores and with no way yet for new users to sign up. It feels as though its moment has passed - even if its old members do manage to get back online they may find Parler just a little dull.

The past - and the evidence of its use to plan the invasion of Congress - has been wiped clean.

True, the Trump acolyte and Fox firebrand Sean Hannity is back, already posting half a dozen Parleys in the first couple of hours. But while he has over five million followers on Twitter, on Parler he's bellowing into a mostly empty space where a few like-minded people nod quietly in agreement.

Where's the fun in that?

There's probably only one person who could give Parler its mojo back - Donald J Trump. But so far he seems reluctant to show up at a party which feels like it's over.

'Significant stake'


The app's popularity was in part fuelled by President Trump's supporters, who often claimed "censorship" by the largest online platforms.

The former president had allegedly been offered a significant stake in the company if he joined, Buzzfeed News reported earlier this month - something rival politicians are now investigating.

But he never joined Parler while in power and does not appear to have joined the relaunched version.


Its main selling point had been light-touch moderation, which it said was to encourage free speech.

But Google and Apple banned the app for failing to remove posts they felt had incited violence.

And Amazon pulled its web-hosting service days later for similar reasons.

Before the app was knocked offline, however, hackers said they had managed to access an archive of posts and downloads - more than one million videos and images, including some from the 6 January riots.

Carolyn Maloney, who chairs the House oversight committee, has asked the FBI to investigate the role of Parler in the violence at the Capitol.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×