A Google spokesperson has confirmed the news to The New York Times, saying they have changed their content moderation policies to comply with Google’s standards. Users can now download the app from Google Play Store. Dates back to January 6, 2021, Trump supporters attacked the US Capitol. At the time, Google and Apple accused Parler of lacking appropriate policies to moderate content that may be an incitement to violence. That’s why the app was kicked out of both Play Store and App Store. However, after drastic changes to the moderation policies, Parler is now back on the Play Store.
Parler now follows a different content moderation policy
Parler’s chief marketing officer, Christina Cravens, told The Times that their app always prohibited violence . However, to get permission to return to Play Store, Parler hid not-safe-for-work content and removed hate speech based on race, sex, sexuality, and other factors. “While Parler believes the best way to address the problems of hate and divisiveness in today’s culture is to allow more speech, not less, we are still happy to do business with those who think differently, on the terms on which we do agree,” Cravens said. Parler was founded in 2018 as a social network for free speech advocates. It was also intended to challenge Twitter and Facebook’s monopoly. However, Parler now understands the consequences of not following the policies that the tech giants impose on other companies. After the attack on the US Capitol, Twitter suspended Trump’s account and provoked many concerns about the meaning of free speech on social platforms. Elon Musk claimed one of his incentives to buy out Twitter was to protect free speech on the platform.
