Right-Wing Twitter Clone Parler Temporarily Shuts Down After Finding Buyer
PARLER TRICK
Even for the notoriously volatile tech sector, the conservative social media niche seems to be in a constant state of “easy come, easy go.” This week, Parlement Technologies Inc., parent company of right-wing Twitter competitor Parler, announced it had sold the platform—to a company planning to shut it down. The CEO of Starboard, Parler’s buyer, called the decision to temporarily shutter the network a “breath of fresh air” in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, adding that he is committed to serving “unsupported online communities by building a home for them away from the ad hoc regulatory hand of platforms that hate them.” Parler, which faced scrutiny for its role as a gathering place for members of the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection, was previously in talks with Kanye West about a sale—though the antisemitic rapper eventually pulled out due to lack of funds.