Delisted and denied: What’s happening with Parler now?
Samantha Martin, News Editor
Social media has been the great connector since the first recognizable social media site, Six Degrees, came online. From there, platforms have diversified in many ways: user base, purpose, features and so on.
In 2018, Parler came online via Amazon Web Services servers, a subsidiary of Amazon. According to Soft Planet, the microblogging app/site creators “built the app and platform in response to censorship from Twitter.”
It attracted a more “right wing” user base; “Parler has proved particularly popular among Trump supporters and right-wing conservatives,” according to BBC.
Jan. 10, 2021 saw Parler put completely online following claims of incitement and otherwise violent content that contributed to the capitol on Jan. 6.
The process began with suspension from the Google Play store on Jan. 8. In the same day, Apple submitted a request to Parler asking that they create a detailed plan to moderate content. On Jan. 9, Apple sent a statement to Parler that was later released to The Verge:
We have determined that the measures you describe are inadequate to address the proliferation of dangerous and objectionable content on your app … Specifically we have continued to find direct threats of violence and calls to incite lawless action in violation of Guideline 1.1 Safety – Objectionable Content … Your response also references a moderation plan “for the time being,” which does not meet the ongoing requirements in Guidelines 1.2 Safety – User Generated content … A temporary “task force” is not a sufficient response given the widespread proliferation of harmful content.
Parler itself as well as a group of Parler users have filed class action suits against AWS, Parler claimed “unfair treatment and politically motivated double standards.”
Parler app users used claims from the Parler lawsuit and expounded on those in their own suit.
“Parler was advised … AWS was not confident that Parler could properly police its platform regarding content that encourages or incites violence against others. However, … one of the top trending tweets on the Twitter social media application was ‘Hang Mike Pence’ and it appears that AWS took no action against Twitter, has any plans to take action, nor has made any threats to suspend Twitter’s account.”
“The argument about ‘Well Twitter’s doing it is only fair to a point. If I’ve got 10,000 messages over here that are clearly incitement, and I’ve got one over here that’s vague, someone could say ‘That’s a hashtag, it’s not a call to action. It’s a frustrated expression.’” said Randall King, associate dean of mass communication at NGU.
Parler’s suit rested on three legs:
The first claim was that Amazon had engaged into anticompetitive behavior on behalf of Twitter, violating Sherman Antitrust laws.
The second claim was that Amazon had breached its contract with Parler by not allowing 30 day notice before suspending services. There was a separate contractual provision that allowed AWS to terminate services without waiting 30 days.
The third claim was that AWS interfered with Parler’s business during a period of exorbitant growth.
Amazon released Parler comments and posts to The Verge again, which were tagged with a warning label; “Content warning: these threats are graphic, violent, and racist; use discretion.”
One post said, “We are going to fight in a civil War on Jan.20th, Form MILITIAS now and acquire targets.” Another said, “Death to @zuckerberg @realjeffbezos @jackdorsey @pichai.”
“By the logic and reasoning that they gave for pulling Parler, to be equitable they should [investigate Facebook and Twitter], and that’s going to be Parler’s argument, that they [AWS] are selectively enforcing that,” said Joshua Styles, assistant professor of criminal justice and Christian studies.
“An entire book could — and probably should — be written on why all of this [new domestic terrorism laws] is so concerning,” said Glenn Greenwald in his Jan. 19 article.
Greenwald further emphasized that the twisting of the phrase incitement is what has driven recent events, such as the rushed impeachment of Donald Trump, calls for sedition charges against members of Congress and the acts of censorship taking place and being further urged.
While a federal judge has denied Parler’s request to force Amazon into bringing the site back up, the case is yet to be resolved.
The worry left now is what kind of precedent will be set should the site lose or win its case.
