Apple is threatening to block Parler, the anti-Big Tech social media platform, from its App Store, according to reports.
Apple told Parler it received numerous complaints about content on Parler, including material being used to plan, coordinate, and facilitate illegal activity in Washington, D.C., on January 6, according to the Wall Street Journal.
To remain active in the App Store, Parler will have to provide details on how it would improve its content moderation and filtration within 24 hours or reportedly risk removal.
Apple and Parler did not respond to requests for comment.
Parler’s popularity surged after the 2020 November election, when President Trump’s supporters sought an alternative social medium to provide refuge from alleged Big Tech censorship. In a single November weekend after President-elect Joseph R. Biden was the projected winner, Parler said it gained more than 4 million new members.
On November 10, one week after Election Day, Parler was atop the charts for free apps available in Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store. Parler ranked 10th among fee apps available in Apple’s App Store on Friday evening.
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.
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