Parler was launched in 2018 as an independent social media site for users tired of the Facebook and Twitter rules, and quickly won over fans who supported President Trump. On Monday, it got dark, overturned by a negative reaction to his more permissive approach.
Amazon.com Inc. abruptly ended web hosting services for the company, effectively disrupting its operations, prompting Parler to sue Amazon in Seattle federal court. Other technology partners also acted, halting operations.
Driving the decision was last week’s crowd attack on the United States Capitol. On the afternoon of the turmoil, Amazon alerted Parler executives that it had received reports that the social media platform was hosting “inappropriate” content and that Parler had 24 hours to deal with it.
“We have been properly addressing this type of content for weeks and have been actively working with the police,” Parler policy director Amy Peikoff told Amazon a few hours later in an e-mail reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.
Amazon replied on Thursday: “Please consider it resolved.” The email gave Parler executives confidence that their moderation system, while tense, was acceptable to their technology partner.