The website for the controversial social media network Parler resurfaced on Monday. The site was taken down more than a month ago after Amazon Web Services stopped hosting it on its servers. This followed evidence showing that the outlet was used to help coordinate the January 6th attack on the Capitol. While Parler didn’t make it clear who was now hosting the service, an NPR reporter writes that he was able to track the information down.
New: Just got off the phone with LA-based Kevin Matossian, who is the CEO of cloud hosting company SkySilk. He confirmed to NPR that the company is providing web hosting services to Parler.
— Bobby Allyn (@BobbyAllyn) February 15, 2021
Over the last month, the New York Times also reports that the company had other support that helped keep it afloat:
To stay online, Parler got help from DDoS-Guard, a Russian firm, which raised concerns among some internet researchers that the Russian government could surveil Parler users. Parler also partnered with Epik, a Seattle company, for its domain registration, a basic service of the internet. Epik has helped support other fringe sites that lost their support from other companies, including the Daily Stormer, a neo-Nazi site.
Parler has hired Tea Party activist Mark Meckler as its interim chief executive. Former CEO and Parler co-founder John Matze was fired earlier this month by the company’s board.
Parler seems to be back online, with what looks like a new logo and an updated community guidelines document saying the company "will not knowingly allow itself to be used as a tool for crime, civil torts, or other unlawful acts.” https://t.co/dRsMNtehiv pic.twitter.com/IhBca8ETmY
— Brian Fung (@b_fung) February 15, 2021
Under the “Values” tab on the site we the website promotes that you should “Be yourself.” That’s defined as “Discuss and defend your values, passions, accomplishments and ideas in an environment that lets you be you, free of agenda-driven “shadow-banning.”
Right now the platform is only open to former users, but new users are expected to be welcomed to the site next week.
The return of Parler is being applauded by several right-wingers on Twitter today, but it’s unclear whether the site will survive without cooperation from Apple and Google. The companies app stores stopped offering Parler in early January and there is no word on whether they will welcome it back anytime soon. CNBC takes a look at whether it can survive without these tech giants (watch above).