Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

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.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
×