Apple Suspends Parler From App Store -- Update
January 09 2021 - 9:20PM
Dow Jones News
By Tim Higgins
Apple Inc. has suspended Parler from the App Store amid concerns
the app's owner hasn't done enough to address threats of violence
on the platform.
"We have always supported diverse points of view being
represented on the App Store, but there is no place on our platform
for threats of violence and illegal activity," Apple said in a
statement Saturday. "Parler has not taken adequate measures to
address the proliferation of these threats to people's safety."
Apple's move comes a day after Alphabet Inc.'s Google suspended
Parler from its Play Store app marketplace, citing violations of
requirements for sufficient moderation of content for apps it
distributes.
Interest in Parler has risen since the November U.S. elections
as larger social networks such as Facebook and Twitter have become
more aggressive in policing posts. On Friday, Twitter Inc.
permanently suspended President Trump's personal account, sparking
criticism from conservatives online who felt the effort was biased
against them.
Parler had positioned itself as an alternative to larger
platforms. Its rules don't prohibit hate speech and false
information while banning spam, threats of violence and other
illegal activity. Chief Executive John Matze had said he believed
the company's rules met Apple's policies against content that
incites violence.
Prior to Saturday, the iPhone maker had given Parler 24 hours to
submit a plan to improve the app, which it said wasn't effectively
moderating and removing content that encouraged illegal activity
and posed a risk to user safety.
Apple told the company it found its response insufficient,
according to the latest app notice, saying that Parler had to
demonstrate the "ability to effectively moderate and filter the
dangerous and harmful content" on the service.
Write to Tim Higgins at Tim.Higgins@WSJ.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 09, 2021 21:05 ET (02:05 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2021 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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