Google on Friday suspended Parler social networking app from Play Store for failing to moderate its platform and allowing posts that incite violence, while Apple Inc gave the service 24 hours to implement moderation.
Parler is a network favored by conservatives and extremists, and defines itself as a platform for free speech. There is virtually no moderation and people are allowed to say what they want, including what can be defined as promoting violence and extremism.
Many supporters of President Donald Trump migrated to Parler after they were suspended from other platforms such as Twitter Inc, which permanently suspended President Trump’s account on Friday.
Google said in a statement that Parler continues to posts that seek to “incite ongoing violence in the U.S.”
“For us to distribute an app through Google Play, we do require that apps implement robust moderation for egregious content. In light of this ongoing and urgent public safety threat, we are suspending the app’s listings from the Play Store until it addresses these issues.”
Apple cited instances of posts from people planning to descend on Washington, D.C., with weapons after a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol building on Wednesday.
Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa. Simon covers President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, the U.S. government, the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington D.C. and New York City.
