Parler Resurfaces Online After Monthlong Service Disruption -- Update
February 15 2021 - 5:16PM
Dow Jones News
By Jeff Horwitz and Robert McMillan
Parler, the social network popular with conservatives, has come
back online after going dark when some tech companies withdrew
their services in the wake of the deadly attack on the U.S.
Capitol.
Amazon.com Inc. removed Parler from its cloud-computing service
a little over a month ago, effectively knocking the network
offline. Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.'s Google removed it from
their respective app stores. The tech companies said Parler had
violated terms-of-service agreements, citing some of the content
posted on the app.
On Monday, Parler said it was relaunching its service, which it
said had grown to over 20 million users. "We're thrilled to welcome
everyone back, " Mark Meckler, Parler's interim chief executive,
said in a statement. "Parler is being run by an experienced team
and is here to stay," he said.
The social-media company said its new platform was "built on
robust, sustainable, independent technology." It said it was
focused on restoring service to existing users during the first
week and that new sign-ups would come after.
Parler's Internet servers are now hosted by SkySilk Inc., which
operates out of a Los Angeles-area data center, according to Doug
Madory, director of Internet analysis with the network-monitoring
firm Kentik Inc.
When reached via text message Monday afternoon, SkySilk's chief
executive, Kevin Matossian, declined to comment, but said the
company would issue a statement imminently.
The resumption of Parler service wasn't seamless. After
re-establishing service on Monday morning, the platform appeared to
again be inaccessible to at least some users in the afternoon.
Parler didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on the
service disruption.
Parler previously had used Russian service provider DDoS-Guard
to speed up delivery of its internet traffic. As of Monday,
however, Parler wasn't using DDos-Guard or a similar service --
something that could lead to sluggish performance for the
social-media network, Mr. Madory said. "This isn't going to support
a lot of traffic, so maybe there are plans that we don't know
about," he said.
New community guidelines posted on Parler's website said the
platform was "viewpoint neutral" and the company wouldn't knowingly
allow it to be used as a tool for crime or unlawful acts.
John Matze, Parler's CEO at the time the service went dark, said
then that the service could be offline for weeks with efforts under
way to restore the app. Parler fired Mr. Matze late last month as
the platform was working to restore service.
According to Mr. Matze and statements by Parler executives,
internal debate over how to respond to the blockade by major
technology platforms may have contributed to his ouster. Mr. Matze
told The Wall Street Journal after his termination that he had been
looking for a way to win Apple's and Google's approval for Parler's
restoration to their app stores. To address the tech giants'
moderation concerns, he said, he was amenable to some form of
algorithmic content moderation in addition to the platform's system
of deputizing users as community jurors.
While Parler's owners haven't spoken directly about the
substance of their disagreement with Mr. Matze, Parler investor Dan
Bongino said that the platform wouldn't cave in to the tech
companies' commands.
Parler, launched in 2018 and based in Henderson, Nev., said it
was searching for a permanent CEO. The company said it had hired
Mr. Meckler, who is affiliated with groups such as the Tea Party
Patriots, to help guide Parler through its relaunch.
Social-media companies, like others, generally rely on a network
of tech suppliers to deliver their online services. Those services
range from data storage to more basic functions, such as connecting
to the internet or registering domain names.
Parler on Monday remained suspended from Apple and Google's app
stores.
The company has sued Amazon over the move to stop providing
cloud services, alleging anticompetitive motives and political
animus, claims that the tech giant called meritless. Parler last
month failed to convince a judge to force Amazon to again provide
cloud services.
Write to Jeff Horwitz at Jeff.Horwitz@wsj.com and Robert
McMillan at Robert.Mcmillan@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 15, 2021 18:01 ET (23:01 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2021 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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