Rafly G. Tech 01.11.2021 07:Jan AM EST

Parler Banned: Amazon Drops Support Following Google and Apple, What Can Users Do?

After a series of controversies amidst the current chaos at the White House, Amazon decided to pull its support for the "free speech" social network. For years, Amazon Web Services (AWS) had served as the platform's trusted cloud computing service to provide for its users.

As noted from NBC, the tech behemoth suspended the platform over "violent and threatening" content. When users attempt to access the website, Parler will greet them with a message, "This site can't be reached: parler.com's server IP address could not be found."

"Recently, we've seen a steady increase in this violent content on your website, all of which violates our terms. It's clear that Parler does not have an effective process to comply with the AWS terms of service," the Amazon Web Services trust and safety team said in a letter to Parler.

For some users, the website can still be accessed, although account creation is still impossible at this point.

Parler's Short-Lived History

Parler is a microblogging and social media platform, launched by John Matze and Jared Thomson in Nevada, 2018. Rebekah Mercer and Dan Bongino are among the investors of the self-proclaimed "free-speech" platform.

Since then, the platform has somewhat become an alternative for users who are not content with Twitter's decision to label tweets. The platform has gained popularity amidst the United States' 2020 presidential election.

Matze, now the company's CEO, has not taken the removal lightly, claiming that Big Techs are lining up against the freedom of speech.

"There is the possibility Parler will be unavailable on the internet for up to a week as we rebuild from scratch. Every vendor from text message services to email providers to our lawyers all ditched us too on the same day," writes the CEO on his now-taken down platform.

In fact, Amazon is not the only tech giant to take its stance. Previously this week, both Apple and Google had removed Parler from its App and Play Store services following several reports on its violent misdemeanor.

"Parler has not taken adequate measures to address the proliferation of these threats to people's safety," says Apple.

What Can Users Do?

As most tech giants are riling up against Parler, there is almost nothing that users can do. However, Matze promised that the team is working on getting the site online as soon as possible.

"We're going to try our best to get back online as quickly as possible, but we're having a lot of trouble because every vendor we talk to says they won't work with us because if Apple doesn't approve and Google doesn't approve, they won't," Matze told Fox News last Sunday.

Another website to be on the rise is MeWe, an alternative social networking site on a massive surge as many new users try to migrate from Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.