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 (NASDAQ: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.

See Also: ‘Clock Is Ticking’ For Apple As It Faces Obliteration In Auto Market, Says Gurman: Here’s How Cupertino Can Turn CarPlay Into A Moneymaker

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

Read Next: Microsoft Co-Founder Bill Gates Delves Into AI Strengths and Weaknesses: ‘It’s Not Good Enough For This — But Wow, It Is Good Enough For That’

Engineered by
Benzinga Neuro, Edited by

Sudhanshu Singh

The GPT-4-based Benzinga Neuro content generation system exploits the
extensive Benzinga Ecosystem, including native data, APIs, and more to
create comprehensive and timely stories for you.
Learn more.

© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.