Parler is gone for now as Amazon terminates hosting - The Verge
Category: News & Politics
Via: sister-mary-agnes-ample-bottom • 3 years ago • 77 commentsBy: Kim Lyons (The Verge)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The proliferation of violent content on the site pushed Apple and Google to ban it as well
After Parler was banned on both the Apple and Google app stores for failing to curb violent and threatening content on its platform, the social media site is now completely offline as a result of Amazon terminating Parler's web hosting services. The official Parler website now returns a 403 error, while its app is showing networking errors and can't load content.
Amazon told Parler of its decision late Saturday, in a letter to chief policy officer Amy Peikoff. Its Amazon Web Service (AWS) "cannot provide services to a customer that is unable to effectively identify and remove content that encourages or incites violence against others," the letter to Peikoff states, adding that Parler "poses a very real risk to public safety."
Posts on Parler that encouraged violence leading up to the Wednesday attack on the Capitol that left five people dead were circulated on other platforms in the wake of the riot. An example: "take zip ties with you, sneak up on them like ninjas and zip tie their hands and feet," to which another poster replied: "around their neck, can't get it off in time, they die."
According to the AWS acceptable use policy customers may not use its services "for any illegal, harmful, fraudulent, infringing or offensive use."
Parler launched in 2018 presenting itself as a free-speech haven and an alternative to other social media sites. The site saw its user numbers spike in recent months, as Twitter and Facebook tightened their moderation policies, especially around election and coronavirus information. The "Stop the Steal" campaign challenging President Trump's loss gained momentum among Parler users, as did other conspiracy theories around the election. Parler's less-strict moderation policies were part of its appeal for many users, but the lack of content moderation is a big part of why companies suspended their services.
When it pulled Parler from the Play Store, Google said while reasonable debate about content policy was possible, and it can be hard for apps to remove violative content immediately, "for us to distribute an app through Google Play, we do require that apps implement robust moderation for egregious content." Apple told the company that "the processes Parler has put in place to moderate or prevent the spread of dangerous and illegal content have proved insufficient. Specifically, we have continued to find direct threats of violence and calls to incite lawless action."
Even with the app removed from the Play Store users could still install Parler on their Android devices by downloading it directly from Parler's website and sideloading it. However, with its AWS services now disabled, the website and apps no longer work.
Parler CEO John Matze — who, according to his LinkedIn page worked for AWS for three months in 2017 — wrote in a post on Parler late Saturday that he believes Amazon, Google, and Apple "worked together to try and ensure they don't have competition," adding "They will NOT win! We are the worlds [sic] last hope for free speech and free information."
Matze said in a separate post that the Parler could be offline for up to a week "as we rebuild from scratch." Matze added, "You can expect the war on competition and free speech to continue, but don't count us out."
Perhaps the best-known recent instance of a site being deplatformed for violent content was social network Gab. After a gunman killed eleven people in a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018, PayPal banned Gab from its platform, when it was revealed that suspect Robert Bowers had posted anti-Semitic threats on Gab ahead of the shooting. Apple rejected Gab's application to appear in its App Store in 2016, and Twitter removed Gab's access to its API. Google booted Gab app from its Play store in 2017 for violating its hate speech policy, and AWS cut ties with Gab in 2019, for violating its policy against hateful content.
Parler has not responded to multiple requests for comment from The Verge.
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Posts on Parler that encouraged violence leading up to the Wednesday attack on the Capitol that left five people dead were circulated on other platforms in the wake of the riot. An example: "take zip ties with you, sneak up on them like ninjas and zip tie their hands and feet," to which another poster replied: "around their neck, can't get it off in time, they die."
Nice place.
Come on sister..... These are some of those "good people..... on both sides" Trump was talking about. /s
He has clearly indicated which side he prefers.
Right.... Those that send him money!
maga
I'm still laughing at the tap-dancing link. This one is fab, as well.
Good Lord. Where will they spew them venom now?
Breitbart...... Newsmax..... Fox is still in the hunt.
Oh No !!!! Where will I be able to order my trump $2 bill, commemorative coin or bobble-head ?!?!? hahahahahahaha
"Trump Spray Tan", coming to a Dollar Store near you.
Every time I see that image, I find it remarkable how much he and Steve Bannon look like bros.
They both look like (not that I've ever seen any of them) is walking talking piles of genital herpes, anal warts, and hemorrhoids
Were they actually selling that stuff? I wonder what Trump's cut was.
Yes, they may be offered on breitbart but hurry they won't last...hahahahahahah
Trump straws - 10 bucks/box - made in China
Cost to produce - 1 buck or less
Excellent, good to get that off social media.
... cutting the head off the snake.
I wonder if we should expect an influx of 'new' members...
OMG, they have to 'vent their spleen' somewhere
Trump won't be doing it on Twitter or FB. Both have permanently suspended his accounts.
"Trump won't be doing it on Twitter or FB. Both have permanently suspended his accounts."
I was thinking about what SMAAB said about a possible influx of new members . . . like from places like Parler, etc. . . . to Newstalkers
Fresh meat!
And how soon will they whine about being censored? Or blame liberals/democrats/big tech/elites/ect.?
More like their gallbladder. Bile & all.
I was referencing the return of, um, less than fresh meat...
They left here whining about it.
How is the condition of the door after impact with their backsides....?
Lol, this shit is hilarious to me. Of course the CEO is saying they have contingency plans in place to be able to go solo and businesses lining up out the door to host them, both of which are complete bullshit. What is even funnier if that if Trump got his way in regards to section 230, not only would he personally be banned from every social media platform immediately but Parler will be sued into oblivion within months and completely go under.
Later he claimed big tech forced those other businesses into not touching them. Parler's lawyers also quit over the weekend. As of now he claims he's sitting on 5 servers worth of data with nowhere to go with it.
Pretty much all websites that take comments would turn off comments overnight or be sued into oblivion.
Which even if they did, they have every right to do so. Apple has every right to tell any other business "hey, we do not wish to be associated with Parler, if you do then we will terminate our arrangement and you two can elope off into the sunset together.", there is absolutely nothing illegal or even morally wrong with that.
Probably because a) it makes them look bad, and b) they have no case.
Well, when you crate an app for neo nazis and refuse to do anything about all the vile shit and death threats that are thrown around on it, you cannot expect other businesses to want to be associated with you.
Yep,
I'd be banned from here in about 2 seconds.
Looks like they have filed suit in a DC court against Amazon.
They are completely wasting their time. No court is going to rule that one business has to engage with another business.
And good luck with that. Amazon has more right to say, "Get the fuck out of here!", than Parler does shouting, "Sieg heil!"
the tRump touch
Lol, this shit is hilarious to me. Of course the CEO is saying they have contingency plans in place to be able to go solo and businesses lining up out the door to host them, both of which are complete bullshit. What is even funnier if that if Trump got his way in regards to section 230, not only would he personally be banned from every social media platform immediately but Parler will be sued into oblivion within months and completely go under.
That was worth posting twice, so I upped it twice.
I would swear that there were two of those just moments ago...
My computer has been acting funky lately, posting things multiple times, leaving out key strokes or inserting letters I didn't type. I would just replace the keyboard but on al aptop that is a bigger pain inthe ass than it is worth. I may need to start shopping for a new one.
Actually, I'm pretty sure it's site-related glitch. It happens now and again.
It isn't just that, like I said I've been having some other issues with it. Regardless, no biggie.
The only glitch I get occasionally is that even when my comment posts, it remains where I typed it. I used to think it didn't post and I enter it again and end up with a double posting. Now when that happens, I check to see if did post.
I recently bought a new laptop. Amazing how much the technology is improved. Lighter weight, more power, more features, etc, etc .It was well worth it!
It is not possible for those companies to infringe on people's first amendment rights. That cartoon just says that the artist has no fucking clue what the first amendment actually says or who it applies to [deleted]
Freedom of speech does not include inciting violence that can lead to injury or death.
the artist has no fucking clue what the first amendment actually says or who it applies to and neither does any dipshit that moves the cartoon along.
I want to make sure your catch that fact Greg........
No it doesn't.
I don't think Greg understands the difference between private corporation and government
I guess there are people around who think it's okay to shout "FIRE" in a crowded theatre. There really isn't a vaccine for STUPID.
I wonder if the person who originally tweeted that cartoon on Twitter (and/or those who re-tweeted it) will get a warning?
I used to say:
There's no cure for "Stuck on Stupid".
But I like the (updated) vaccine version better-- its much more timely!
Let me make a recommendation to you, Greg. Please take a Political Science 101 course. I'm sure you can find one online. False representational cartoons like this damage the integrity of NT. I know you don't care, but I do.
I can only remember one other time that I flagged anyone. That disgusting and blatantly false cartoon would be the second time.
What I've always found intriguing is that while social media sites have their rules-- IIRC none of them have a rule against posting misleading information...or even blatant lies.
LOL.. I posted my comment before I saw that one. Great minds, etc.
Clever addition!
Excellent!
(Unless, of course, one believes its perfectly fine for some of the more ignorant MAGA people to yell "FIRE" in a crowded theatre.. after all, they believe that its their Constitutionally protected "right" to do that...
)
Typical ignorance from Branco, LegalInsurection & Creators.
Maybe I'm missing something but there's nothing in the seeded article about child molesters. Are you drawing a parallel to something in the content above?
She seems to talk often about things unrelated to the article/seed at hand.
I think Suz means that if Parler were allowed to exist child molesters would use the site to lure children, and then the authorities could trace their posts and find them, but it's VERY unlikely that chldren would use such a site anyway. I believe it's a matter of balance of interests, and I believe that it is more important to prevent communication for the purpose of committing terrorist acts and insurrection by banning such a site.
I believe you have misunderstood the issue at hand, Suz. Parler is not being 'eliminated'. Amazon, and other businesses, have chosen to discontinue their business dealings with Parler. They are more than welcome to pursue other platforms.
That would explain the child molestation comments.
No one here is saying that its wrong to use underhanded methods to catch child molesters!!!
It never ceases to amaze me how unaware of what the Constitutional guarantees of free speech actually mean.
Do you think, for example, that NT, by restricting various types of speech by the CoC, is actually violating your Constitutionally protected right to Free Speech?
Not only can someone here get a suspension for what they said-- but if its serious enough they can get totally banned!
I wonder-- are you seriously considering filing a lawsuit against Perrie because you actually believe that NT is violating your Constitutionally protected rights...?
just read that Parler has registered on a server called epik, but nothing past registering has been discussed according to the server CEO.