Apple gave conservative social network Parler 24 hours to implement a complete moderation plan and remove objectionable content or face a permanent ban from the App Store, reports BuzzFeed News.
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In an email sent to Parler this morning, Apple said it had received complaints that the app had been used by supporters of President Donald Trump to plan and coordinate the infiltration of the United States Capitol on Wednesday. Apple says the Parler app violates objectionable content and user-generated content guidelines.
We demand your immediate attention for serious violations of the App Store guidelines that we find on your Parler app.
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=20Content 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 accepted 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 present on his service and for ensuring that this content meets the requirements of the App Store for the safety and protection of our users. We will not distribute applications that contain dangerous and harmful content.
Apple is requiring Parler to send an update and a “requested moderation improvement plan” within 24 hours of when the email was received on Friday morning. If Parler is not in compliance, the application will be removed from the App Store.
Parler CEO John Matze said on the social network that Parler will not “give in to politically motivated companies and those authoritarian people who hate free speech”. Since launching in 2018, Parler has claimed to be a free speech alternative to mainstream social media with more relaxed content moderation rules, which has attracted those who have been banned or suspended on Twitter, Facebook and other mainstream social media.
In related news, the social network Twitter announced today that it has permanently suspended the Twitter account of U.S. President Donald Trump. Twitter said the account was suspended due to the “risk of further incitement to violence”.
Twitter yesterday suspended Trump’s account for 12 hours after he posted a video calling protesters “very special” and repeating allegations of electoral fraud.
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Twitter said the account would be unlocked if Trump deleted tweets, but warned that further violations would result in a permanent ban. Facebook and Instagram also banned Trump indefinitely, and Google Play on Friday night removed the Parler app.
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