When Will Parler Return? Website Homepage Reappears With Report of Russian Aid - Bloomberg
Category: News & Politics
Via: pat-wilson • 3 years ago • 68 commentsBy: Amy Thomson (Bloomberg. com)
Conservatives got their "free speech" back...via Russia, woo hoo !!
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
By Nate Lanxon and Amy Thomson January 19, 2021, 3:36 AM EST Updated on January 19, 2021, 9:25 AM EST
Parler Reappears With Help From Russian-Owned Security Service
By Nate Lanxon and Amy Thomson , January 19, 2021, 3:36 AM EST
- Most functions still appeared to be unavailable on Tuesday
- Protected hosting server DDoS-Guard is now carrying Parler
Photographer: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg Photographer: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg Photographer: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg
Parler, the social network popular with the alt-right and conspiracy theorists, reappeared with the help of a Russian-owned web security service as the website hunts for a way around bans that took it offline earlier this month.
"Our return is inevitable due to hard work, and persistence against all odds," Chief Executive Officer John Matze wrote in a new post, the latest since Amazon Web Services stopped hosting the site and it was banned from Apple Inc. and Google's app stores. "Despite the threats and harassment not one Parler employee has quit. We are becoming closer and stronger as a team."
Read More: Parler CEO Goes Into Hiding Blaming Amazon Flak, Death Threats
Parler, which was dropped by the big tech companies after it was used by members to incite violence at the U.S. Capitol, is now relying on a hosting service from DDoS-Guard Corp., which is owned by two Russians, Evgenii Marchenko and Aleksei Likhachev, according to documents filed with Companies House, a U.K. agency that registers company information and makes it available to the public. DDoS-Guard's website lists an Edinburgh location for its registered office.
Public data associated with the Parler.com domain name shows that one of the internet servers it directs visitors to is routed via DDoS-Guard. Another server, specifically for routing Parler.com email but not website content, is an Outlook.com address, operated by Microsoft Corp.
A spokeswoman for DDoS-Guard said the company was not hosting Parler and declined to comment on what services it was providing to the social media app. It confirmed it did store customer data as part of its offering.
On Sunday, Apple CEO Tim Cook defended Apple's decision to delist the Parler app despite complaints from critics that the move impinges on free speech.
"We looked at the incitement to violence that was on there," Cook said on "Fox News Sunday."
"We don't consider that free speech and incitement to violence has an intersection."
Parler's domain name is now registered with Epik Inc., a website services company based in Sammamish, Washington, according to public records made available by internet regulator Icann. Epik is also the domain registrar for Gab, another less restrictive social networking site popular with the far right.
Read More: Apps Claiming 'Free Speech' for Users Vie for Parler's Place
Most of the features on Parler.com appeared to remain down early Tuesday, besides statements from Matze and other employees. Members are unable to log in or post messages and the app is still unavailable in the Apple Inc. or Google Play stores.
Microsoft didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Epik said in a sprawling statement on its website from Jan. 11 that it's had "no contact or discussions with Parler in any form." The statement also addressed propaganda, breakdowns in civil society and editorial malfeasance on the part of "major media owners."
Before its ban, Parler -- which has less restrictive terms dictating what members can post and was endorsed by some Republican lawmakers and media figures -- had seen a surge in users as Twitter Inc. and Facebook Inc. banished outgoing President Donald Trump along with users and groups that supported the violence.
— With assistance by Ilya Khrennikov
(Updates with comments from Cook in seventh paragraph) Published on January 19, 2021, 3:36 AM EST
Updated on January 19, 2021, 9:25 AM EST
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Putin's your daddy !
Biden won because he colluded with Putin.
How many national security agencies have evidence of what you say.... Please name them.
Dog-doo.
The good news is that Joe Biden stands for all Americans, and that includes you. For some odd reason, that makes me happy. But you go ahead and keep contributing your silly comments. Joe Biden will continue to keep standing for all Americans, and that will still include you. And guess what? That will still make me happy.
Good one !!
Biden colluded with Zi as well
Oy.
That's nice. Prove it!
You failed to get the joke.
The one about collusion.
Priceless coming from someone that has never proven anything accused...and neither has any liberal ever proven any collusion between Trump and his campaign. Turns out they were all just wet dreams.
I've made no accusation.
You've never accused Trump of being guilty of anything?
Pssst...you forget the /sarcasm tag.
I see you're dodging the challenge.
What challenge? You didn't challenge me to anything?
Just like you never accused Trump of anything s/
My mistake. I was thinking of Greg, who has not responded to my challenge, 1.1.6.
But if you think I made a baseless accusation, then specify the accusation!
Said absolutely no one.
Putin has already said that he is disappointed that Trump didn't win. So I am calling total bullshit on your statement.
Unlikely.
And Trump lost because...he colluded with Castro!
And...
(There really is no cure for "Stuck on Stupid"!)
bwah ha ha ha, who didn't see that coming?
They are not up and running yet. I am not sure what's going on. If they are using Russian servers, that means that Russia has access to all those posters' private information. Who would want that?
The irony is sublime.
heh, I've been asking that question ever since the asshole was elected in 2015 ...
Certain posters right here on NT seem to want that. They say a foreign entity would be more desirable . . .
russia already has all the NRA membership info. seems like they're collecting data on gun owners, insurrectionists, and gullible morons in america.
They believe in the old idiom "The enemy of my enemy is my friend". America is Putin's worst enemy and he is determined to destroy western democracy so aligning himself with the dumb fucks, conspiracy theorists, white supremacists, insurrectionists and gullible morons who believe in Qanon, a "deep state" and think the American government establishment is "evil" makes a lot of sense.
I've heard they are trying to get their own application/data servers up in one of the Slavic countries like Gab. If that is true it will take them months to completely recode the app.
Just downloading the Json files will take forever. I would never join a site in a questionable country.
Nor would I. Those that champion it don't really think that far ahead and are far more likely to make decisions on emotion. I'm sure some might eventually figure out when it's shown more of them are targets of identity theft than those on traditional apps/websites. More likely it will die as other apps/websites spring up before it can get restarted. We are already seeing that begin to happen.
I don't understand your comment. Are you saying that the US is questionable?
yeah, but you have an IQ way over 70, ....... so, er... you know .............
yep, how many times have "American companies" been hacked?
Anywhere/anything out there is really not safe.
Well, as the recent attacks on the Capitol has shown, the are still a good numbers of Americans who are traitors to our country...and still a fair number who would like to overthrow a democratically elected government by force!
After all-- there's no cure for 'Stuck on Stupid".
Still far too many nutcases like this woman:
A Texas Real-Estate Agent Who Flew On A Private Jet To Join The Capitol Riot Has Asked Trump For A Pardon, Saying She Was Only Following His Orders
All companies connected with Parler will remain anonymous according to their CEO.
Too late.
And as to Russian companies and Parler of it comes to that the irony is that they would be giving Americans 1st amendment rights American companies refused to give.
Assuming Bloomberg is right about any of this...
You have a right to free speech. Nobody is required to provide you with a venue.
How do you feel about TikTok and China?
In exchange for all your data, lol.
Bravo! That is it in a nutshell.
And what is really funny is that first amendment rights aren't a companies to give in the first place because the Bill of Rights ONLY deals with the government. Unless these people have been arrested for the things they post online or say (and just an FYI, freedom of speech is not limitless) their first amendment rights are completely intact.
Indeed!
Using that extremely flawed lack of "reasoning"-- this site would be considered violating the Constitution...because it can "limit the right to free speech"!
After all, you don't have the right to say anything you want on NT- - because if you violate the CoC you run the risk of a suspension-- and if you do it repeatedly you might even get permanently banned from NT!
After all, you don't have the right to say anything you want on NT- - because if you violate the CoC you run the risk of a suspension-- and if you do it repeatedly you might even get permanently banned from NT!
I wonder if some people are stupid enough to think that the FBI should investigate NT (for violating "free speech")-- because on NT you aren't allowed to say whatever you want without consequences!
American companies are under no obligation to honor the 1st Amendment. Sorry. They can have whatever their rules they want. Unless you want to go socialist and force companies to bend to the will of the government?
But it looks like someone will and they will be protected and kept secret so that vindictive big tech social media and their allies can’t do anything about it.
Unless you want to go socialist and force companies to bend to the will of the government?
OMG!
Could it possibly be?
That Tovarishch MAGA is actually...a SOCIALIST in Sheep's clothing???
I didn’t say they had to honor it. And Americans can turn to foreigners who will. That we have to rely on foreigners to protect ourselves and our free expression from other Americans is what is remarkable and truly sad. Bottom line is that if American companies refuse to give us the respect and rights we seek we will turn to foreigners to give us what other Americans will not and use Russian security services to protect us from other Americans denial of service attacks. Getting Parler back with the left having no way to target their providers so we can have that platform as a choice to make if we want is what is important here.
Wow
You've slipped your tethers.
Lots and lots of stupid people (says the idiot that answers rhetorical questions...) ?
No evidence that they are using Russian servers. Just that a Russian company is providing security and anonymous status to whoever is their server or otherwise doing business with Parler.
How many eastern europeans have new lines of credit?
Trump?
I’m sure he will be a part of Parler once it is back up again along with a lot of his former Twitter followers.
Parler's partial return is supported by a Russian tech firm with links to racist and conspiracy-theory sites
Parler's new static webpage uses an internet protocol address owned by DDoS-Guard.
The Russian tech company has been linked to racist, far-right, and conspiracy sites.
Parler critics said it was a potential security risk for it to depend on a Russian company.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Parler, a social media website and app popular with the American far right, partially returned online on Sunday - with the help of a Russian-owned technology company.
Parler was dropped by website host Amazon Web Services (AWS) on January 11. AWS said the platform "poses a very real risk to public safety." The site has since registered its domain with Epik and returned on Sunday as a static page containing a brief note from CEO John Matze.
The internet protocol address it used is owned by DDoS-Guard, which is controlled by two Russian men and provides services including protection from cyberattacks known as distributed denial of service attacks, infrastructure expert Ronald Guilmette told Reuters.
DDoS-Guard has worked with racist, far-right, and conspiracy sites.
Matze and representatives of DDoS-Guard did not reply to Reuters' requests for comment.
The Russian site is per CNN a security service provider only that protects the site from denial of service attacks and provides ironclad anonymous protection to all who do business with Parler from web servers to financial and everything else. This Russian internet security company will protect Parler and all who do business with them from being found out. This is perfect!
Zdorovo, comrade.
Indeed!!!
Perfect collusion with the Russian fascist state.
I just don't understand the difference or the umbrage.
If you champion protecting the "rights" of small brick & mortar businesses to discriminate against gays,
by not baking or decorating a cake, or participating in the picture taking or flower arranging...
Those people always say find another baker, florist or photographer.
Right?
Then you should have no issues at all when an internet provider (business) or a publisher declines to carry a platform or publish a book.
As evidenced this week, it only took Parler a week to find another outlet, Hawley, a few days.
I just don't understand the difference or the umbrage.
If you champion protecting the "rights" of small brick & mortar businesses to discriminate against gays,
by not baking or decorating a cake, or participating in the picture taking or flower arranging...
Those people always say find another baker, florist or photographer.
Right?
Then you should have no issues at all when an internet provider (business) or a publisher declines to carry a platform or publish a book.
Well, as mentioned previously-- "There's no cure for 'Stuck on Stupid'"!!!
Yep, looks like Biden supporters to me..
/s
Oh of course, they are playing the long game lol.
Oh-- and did I remember to mention?:
There's no cure for Stuck on Stupid!
(And even scarier yet-- many of them reproduce!!!
)
Parler had, only 15 million members, not all of them raging racist conservative hateful lunatics.
15 mil is only 4% of Americans at the most and most of those members were not commenting or active.
So there is hope that the problem isn't that bad............
Surely when they come back on a Russian server
the membership will drop dramatically, without a doubt, right?
Then again, it could be a useful tool to identify the truly depraved that stick with Parler.