The embattled social network Parler is slated to reappear on iOS on the week of April 26th, following its re-acceptance into Apple’s App Store earlier today. However, the iOS app will block some content that’s available on the Android and web versions of Parler — a compromise that apparently satisfies Apple’s developer guidelines.
Parler announced the news in a press release. Interim CEO Mark Meckler said the company had “worked to put in place systems that will better detect unlawful speech and allow users to filter content undesirable to them, while maintaining our strict prohibition against content moderation based on viewpoint.”
Apple reaccepted Parler after a months-long ban under pressure from lawmakers, two days before a hearing on Apple’s App Store policies. The company said Parler — which promotes itself as a less strictly moderated alternative to Facebook or Twitter — had engaged in “substantial conversations” with Parler, resulting in a set of proposed changes that would meet Apple’s content policy.
According to Parler’s press release, that includes filtering some content on iOS. “While the App Store version of Parler will prohibit some posts that Parler allows, those posts will still remain visible on the web-based and Android versions of Parler,” the release notes. Parler didn’t elaborate on what kinds of content that would include, but Apple broadly requires a system for filtering “objectionable” material posted by users.
Apple, Google, and Amazon all banned Parler after the January 6th attack on the US Capitol, saying Parler had failed to police violent threats and hateful content. Parler sued Amazon, which it had worked with for web hosting, but the suit has so far fared poorly in court. Google has continued to bar Parler from its Play Store, but users can install the app directly on Android — making the ban far less of a liability.
