Source: Joe Keller / iMore
Update, January 8 (8:00 pm ET): Google removed the Parler app from the Play Store.
As reported by Buzzfeed News, Apple gave Parler, the social media network popular with conservatives, a 24-hour period to resolve a series of complaints or face removal of the app from the App Store.
Buzzfeed got their hands on an email sent to Parler this morning. In the email, Apple’s App Review Board says it has received complaints that the app contains “objectionable content” and that the app was “used to plan, coordinate and facilitate illegal activities in Washington DC”
“We have received numerous complaints about objectionable content on your Parler service, allegations that the Parler app was used to plan, coordinate and facilitate illegal activities in Washington DC on January 6, 2021 that led (among other things) to loss of life, numerous injuries and property destruction, “Apple wrote to Parler. “The app also appears to continue to be used to plan and facilitate even more illegal and dangerous activities.”
The letter goes on to say that if Parler does not correct the problems presented by Apple, including the implementation of a “moderation improvement plan”, the application will be removed from the App Store. Parler’s co-owner Dan Bongino posted on the platform saying that Apple’s action is a suppression of freedom of expression.
You can read the full letter from Apple’s App Review Board to Parler below:
We demand your immediate attention for serious violations of the App Store guidelines that we find in your application, Parler.
We have received numerous complaints about objectionable content on your Parler service, allegations that the Parler app was used to plan, coordinate and facilitate illegal activities in Washington DC on January 6, 2021 that led (among other things) to the loss of life, numerous injured and destruction of property. The app also appears to continue to be used to plan and further facilitate illegal and dangerous activities.
Our investigation found that Parler is not effectively moderating and removing content that encourages illegal activity and poses a serious risk to users’ health and safety, in direct violation of their own terms of service, found here: https: //legal.parler. com / documents / Elaboration-on-Guidelines.pdf
Examples of these complaints can be seen at these links: https://twitter.com/slpng_giants/status/1347190280492089344?s=20 https://twitter.com/EmmanueLoree/status/1347260055410896897/photo/1 https: // twitter .com / Lovedrea / status / 1347263797614972928? s = 20 https://twitter.com/Wilmographer/status/1346714000554303489?s=20 https://twitter.com/pjg0014/status/1347265499210592256?s=20
Content of this dangerous and harmful nature is not appropriate for the App Store. As you know from previous conversations with App Review, Apple requires applications with user-generated content to be moderated effectively to ensure that objectionable and potentially harmful content is filtered out. Content that threatens the well-being of others or that aims to incite violence or other illegal acts has never been acceptable on the App Store.
Its CEO was quoted recently as saying “But I don’t feel responsible for any of this and neither should the platform, considering that we are a neutral square that just follows the law.” We want to make it clear that Parler is in fact responsible for all user generated content on his service and for ensuring that this content meets the App Store requirements for the safety and protection of our users. We will not distribute applications that contain dangerous and harmful content.
We now reject your application for the App Store Review Guidelines detailed below.
Guideline 1.1 – Security – Questionable content
We have found that your app includes content that some users may find disturbing, offensive or otherwise objectionable. Specifically, we find direct threats of violence and calls to incite lawless actions.
Guideline 1.2 – Security – User generated content
Your application allows the display of user-generated content, but does not take sufficient precautions to effectively manage the questionable content present in your application.
See attached screenshots for more details.
Next steps
Nothing is more important to the App Store than the safety of our users. You must resolve these issues immediately for your app to remain on the App Store.
Remove all objectionable content from your app and submit your revised binary for review. Such content includes any content similar to the examples attached to this message, as well as any content regarding damage to people or attacks on government facilities now or at any future date. In addition, you should reply to this message with detailed information about how you intend to moderate and filter this content from your app and what you will do to improve moderation and content filtering for your service for this type of objectionable content going forward.
To ensure that there is no interruption in the availability of your application on the App Store, please send an update and the requested moderation improvement plan within 24 hours from the date of this message. If we do not receive an update that complies with the App Store review guidelines and the moderation improvement plan requested in writing within 24 hours, your app will be removed from the App Store.
If you have any questions about this message, please reply and let us know.
Greetings,
App Review Board
An Apple spokesman declined to comment on Buzzfeed.
Update, January 8 (8 pm ET) – Google removed the Parler app from the Play Store.
Google removed the conservative social media application Parler from the Play Store. The company echoed Apple’s own concerns about the lack of moderation on the platform and its continued use as a way to incite violence as the reason for its removal from the store.