Google bans 'free speech' app Parler, Apple and Amazon have followed

[Joe White]

TL;DR: Google has pulled ‘free speech’ social network app Parler from the Play Store for failing to remove posts inciting violence, and Apple could do the same soon. In an email sent to the app’s developers, Apple has given Parler 24 hours to submit an update implementing a moderation plan. Failure to do so will result in Parler’s removal from the App Store, too.

Update (Jan 9, 10pm): Apple has effectively removed Parler from the App Store and Amazon is kicking them out from AWS as well. You can download Parler from Android here.

Parler was launched in 2018 and has proved popular among right-wing conservative groups, who often accuse the likes of Twitter and Facebook of censoring their views. Twitter has been increasingly moderating its platform over the course of 2020, particularly in light of the U.S. election and the spread of misinformation around Covid-19.

As such, Parler, which describes itself as an unbiased social network, has rapidly gained users – including Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Fox News host Sean Hannity.

However, following the recent infiltration of the U.S. Capitol, Google has banned Parler from its Play Store for fostering calls to violence. Google is calling on Parler to implement moderation systems for egregious content and is suspending the app’s listings until it addresses these issues.

Unsurprisingly, Apple is following suit. In an email sent to Parler’s developers, Apple is giving the app 24 hours to implement a moderation plan, and said: “Our investigation has found that Parler is not effectively moderating and removing content that encourages illegal activity and poses a serious risk to the health and safety of users in direct violation of your own terms of service.”

Failure to do so will result in Parler’s removal from the App Store.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/88223-google-bans-free-speech-app-parler-apple-might.html

 

[Nobonita Barua]

Lol, freedom has many faces we see now

 

[QuantumPhysics]

#1: “CONGRESS shall not...”

Google, Apple, Facebook, Twitter... even Techspot, are all private.

Learn the Constitution.

there is no guarantee of “free speech”.

there is only a negative right for Congress (the government) to censor citizens.


#2. The violent insurrection/sedition and terrorism gave Social Media the perfect excuse to do what they should have done 3 years ago.

It’s called a “pretext”.

 

[fps4ever]

Number One: “CONGRESS shall not...”

Google, Apple, Facebook, Twitter... even Techspot, are all private.

Learn the Constitution.

LOL, agreed until one of them starts banning the blue side...cough

 

[QuantumPhysics]

LOL, agreed until one of them starts banning the blue side...cough

Maybe: stop trying to intimidate people and talking smack and you won’t get banned.

If you don’t like it, get off Social Media...

those are PRIVATE.

they make the rules.

 

[fps4ever]

Maybe: stop trying to intimidate people and talking smack and you won’t get banned.

If you don’t like it, get off Social Media...

Who is this "you"? And you should look in the mirror as far as talking smack. Careful what you wish for. I guess If you only want the same like minded opinions stay on social media.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

Who is this "you"? And you should look in the mirror as fas as talking smack. Careful what you wish for.

I can talk as much as I want as long as I stay within the T.O.S.

And if I get banned, what’s the worse that happens?

I actually go back to real productivity?

 

[fps4ever]

I can talk as much as I want as long as I stay within the T.O.S.

And if I get banned, what’s the worse that happens?

I actually go back to real productivity?

That is not what social media has been doing in case you haven't been paying attention.

 

[Shadowboxer]

Absolutely disgusting behaviour from the big tech corpos. I can understand how Google and Facebook want to sensor their own platforms but banning competitors because they don’t match their censorship criteria isn’t on.

The problem is they do have a duopoly. If a user doesn’t agree with these private moderation policies they don’t exactly have the option to go elsewhere.

I have now removed Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. I will still use YouTube but in a container shell on my PC where they can’t get anything out of me. I urge others to do the same.

 

[Puiu]

Lol, freedom has many faces we see now

Freedom has consequences and people need to own up and face the consequences of using their "freedom" in a stupid way.

 

[Puiu]

Absolutely disgusting behaviour from the big tech corpos. I can understand how Google and Facebook want to sensor their own platforms but banning competitors because they don’t match their censorship criteria isn’t on.

The problem is they do have a duopoly. If a user doesn’t agree with these private moderation policies they don’t exactly have the option to go elsewhere.

I have now removed Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. I will still use YouTube but in a container shell on my PC where they can’t get anything out of me. I urge others to do the same.

This isn't banning competition. It's implementing the TOS that says that inciting to violence and failing to moderate such content will lead to removal from the store. Pretty sure that the death of 4 people at Capitol should make you understand that people are willing to die for a clown.

 

[ShadowDeath]

Maybe: stop trying to intimidate people and talking smack and you won’t get banned.

If you don’t like it, get off Social Media...

those are PRIVATE.

they make the rules.

You mean like what AOC and the blue side are doing right now? lol

 

[fps4ever]

Freedom has consequences and people need to own up and face the consequences of using their "freedom" in a stupid way.

Are you talking hate/racism speech or differernt views/political speech. Because the first is common sense but the latter is what has happened and is happening.

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

Well this looks like another reason for the rise of Progressive Web Apps...

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

It looks like Parler already has in its community guidelines that it’ll delete content and possibly ban users who incite violence as it is a criminal activity... It makes you wonder, do Apple and Google care whether Parler has moderation guidelines in place?

However, even when the law may not require us to flag or remove reported content, or to ban a member, we will nonetheless do so when we deem it necessary to prevent our services from being used by someone in the commission of a crime or civil tort—particularly when these are likely to interfere with our mission of providing a welcoming, nonpartisan Public Square. Examples include criminal solicitation, fraud, and nuisance.

 

[Linoleum77]

LOL, agreed until one of them starts banning the blue side...cough

To fight what?! Human rights, equality, anti-fascism?

 

[ShadowDeath]

Are you talking hate/racism speech or differernt views/political speech. Because the first is common sense but the latter is what has happened and is happening.

No I'm talking about her call on twitter to dox Trump supporters on the 6th. This was on the 6th while voting was actively happening. At the time there were no talks of storming a capital, there were no talks of protesting in DC, there were just millions of people watching the TV waiting to see who won the election. At the same time she called on people to make a list of all the Trump supporters they knew with the intent of holding Trump supporters accountable to some vague standard. This tweet is the revised one, the original was worse. She says **** like this then gets shocked when people are pissed off enough to call her bluff.

(1) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Is anyone archiving these Trump sycophants for when they try to downplay or deny their complicity in the future? I foresee decent probability of many deleted Tweets, writings, photos in the future" / Twitter

Now an important note, I don't care about those people who stormed the capital, they don't represent me or how I feel. I stayed at home and watched the crap hit the fan because I knew what it meant for the votes afterwards. They just made **** worse and gave the Dems an excuse to do everything they've ever wanted.

What I do care about is when people call for violence or intimidation then later feigning innocence when it's done against them.

 

[m4a4]

It's a good thing big tech doesn't have double standards and is held to account by a 3rd party. Who knows how bold they might be otherwise?
/Sarcasm

 

[fps4ever]

No I'm talking about her call on twitter to dox Trump supporters on the 6th. This was on the 6th while voting was actively happening. At the time there were no talks of storming a capital, there were no talks of protesting in DC, there were just millions of people watching the TV waiting to see who won the election. At the same time she called on people to make a list of all the Trump supporters they knew with the intent of holding Trump supporters accountable to some vague standard. This tweet is the revised one, the original was worse. She says **** like this then gets shocked when people are pissed off enough to call her bluff.

(1) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Is anyone archiving these Trump sycophants for when they try to downplay or deny their complicity in the future? I foresee decent probability of many deleted Tweets, writings, photos in the future" / Twitter

Now an important note, I don't care about those people who stormed the capital, they don't represent me or how I feel. I stayed at home and watched the crap hit the fan because I knew what it meant for the votes afterwards. They just made **** worse and gave the Dems an excuse to do everything they've ever wanted.

What I do care about is when people call for violence or intimidation then later feigning innocence when it's done against them.

Bingo...."thumbs up".

 

[m4a4]

But in all seriousness, all I've been seeing from big tech recently is shallow, double standard excuses and what looks like revenge again people they want to hate. Calls to remove death threats and violence off platforms I can stand behind, but they're using a very wide brush here because they know they can.
And then they're emboldened by the loud radicals on the left who would cut off their nose to spite their face.

At least the EU is starting to go against them (though I still see them as a nanny state) or just pretending, but the US? No chance the next administration will be smart enough to limit them, especially since they see big tech being "on their side"...

 

[Cubi Dorf]

Apple is behave more and more like government power. A company should not having this kind of power. Should we start calling your country united corporations of american? And it is not free country.

 

[trparky]

It looks like Parler already has in its community guidelines that it’ll delete content and possibly ban users who incite violence as it is a criminal activity... It makes you wonder, do Apple and Google care whether Parler has moderation guidelines in place?

But it sure seemed like they (Parler) weren't enforcing their moderation policy and since they weren't following their own rules, then they get the ban hammer.

And it is not free country.

Yes, it is still a free country. You can still say what you want as long as you don't incite violence like what has happened. Free speech has consequences. Freedom has consequences. If you choose to use your free speech and freedoms to do stupid crap, be prepared to pay for your stupidity.

 

[Cubi Dorf]

But it sure seemed like they (Parler) weren't enforcing their moderation policy and since they weren't following their own rules, then they get the ban hammer.

Yes, it is still a free country. You can still say what you want as long as you don't incite violence like what has happened. Free speech has consequences. Freedom has consequences. If you choose to use your free speech and freedoms to do stupid crap, be prepared to pay for your stupidity.

This is talk of punish an app maker for a user behavior. In a free country you don’t get punish because of some other person action.

 

[novv10]

Is Google or Facebook winning something because of Parler app ? No. They are loosing ? Of course they are. Do you really think this is all about human rights ? Of course not, it's all about money. It's just the perfect time to get rid of the competition. To bad many people do not realize that democracy and freedom of speech can be lost over night.

 

[wiyosaya]

Existing precedent - as defined from past SCOTUS rulings - says that 1st Amendment rights do not include inciting violence.