Amazon Shuts Down Parler Hosting Over Violent Capitol Riot Content
Parler goes completely offline after Amazon Web Services suspends its server hosting, citing a failure to moderate violent threats. This removal follows similar app store bans by Apple and Google.
Parler goes offline after Amazon Web Services suspends the social media platform from its hosting service over violent and threatening content. Users attempting to visit Parler.com currently encounter an error message stating that the server IP address cannot be found. Amazon states that Parler lacks an effective process to comply with its terms of service due to a steady increase in violent content on the platform.
This hosting suspension follows recent decisions by Google Play and Apple to remove the Twitter-like app from their stores. The tech giants report that supporters of President Donald Trump use Parler to express hatred and threaten violence, which culminates in the deadly riots at the U.S. Capitol. These coordinated tech industry actions occur simultaneously with Twitter permanently banning President Trump from its platform.
Parler CEO John Matze calls the Amazon suspension an attempt to completely remove free speech from the internet and warns that the site remains unavailable for up to a week as the company rebuilds from scratch. Matze accuses Silicon Valley giants of a coordinated effort to inflict maximum damage, noting that almost every vendor Parler relies on, including text message services, email providers, and lawyers, cancels their business on the exact same day.