Foes of free speech hate Parler

FPI / November 22, 2020

It’s no surprise that those who support censoring free speech are annoyed by new platforms which defend it.

Parler, which made its debut just two years ago, is currently among the most-downloaded apps on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in the U.S.

SensorTower reported that Parler saw 980,000 downloads on Election Day, breaking the single day record for app downloads.

This month, Parler topped the iOS and Android download charts after it was promoted by high-profile figures, including Fox News host Sean Hannity, anchor Maria Bartiromo, Sen. Ted Cruz and radio host Mark Levin.

Bill Gates doesn’t like Parler.

People who sign up for Parler are signaling to the world that they like “crazy stuff. If you want Holocaust denial, hey, Parler is going to be great for you,” Gates moaned during The New York Times DealBook Summit on Tuesday.

Parler dubs itself as “an unbiased social media focused on real user experiences and engagement,” and a place for “free expression without violence and censorship.”

Many Twitter users who have been blocked or banned by that platform are on Parler.

“Numerous conservative journalists, media personalities, and politicians have joined Parler over the past few months, with a surge of new users coming in the days after Election Night. Alternative platforms will become even more significant as Big Tech companies like Twitter and Facebook continue to bring the hammer down against conservatives,” Evan James wrote for BigLeaguePolitics on Nov. 19.

Leftists have said that Twitter and Facebook don’t go nearly far enough in censoring conservatives.

Gates said: "Facebook [is the] primary way people access news and they get drawn in to more and more extreme stories, including some of these anti-vaccines or conspiracy things. That person hasn't started out saying, 'I want crazy stuff,' they get drawn down and see things that are... titillating and that is where it is almost a human weakness."

Parler CEO John Matze has doubled down on his stance on free speech, reiterating that the website should not silence users' opinions.

"It's not yet against the law to think for yourself. People with differences in opinions should have discussions, not censorship," Matze wrote on the platform on Nov. 19.

"Our leaders who push for authoritarian measures to control speech online are fighting for an evil cause. Handing our version of 'truth' to a handful of ideological fact checkers creates increased centralization of power... fact checkers of history called Tesla a hack, said Einstein was a fraud and they believed in witches. Fact checking is wrong," Matze said.

Free Press International