Google suspends Parler social networking app from Play Store; Apple gives 24-hour warning

Updated: Jan 8, 2021 / 08:05 PM CST

(NewsNation Now) — Google on Friday suspended the Parler social networking app from its Play Store until the app adds “robust” content moderation. Apple Inc. gave the service 24 hours to submit a detailed moderation plan.

Parler is a social network to which many supporters of President Donald Trump have migrated after being banned from services including Twitter Inc, which on Friday permanently suspended Trump’s account.

Google cited continued posts in the Parler app that seek “to incite ongoing violence in the U.S” in a statement to NewsNation.

In order to protect user safety on Google Play, our longstanding policies require that apps displaying user-generated content have moderation policies and enforcement that removes egregious content like posts that incite violence. All developers agree to these terms and we have reminded Parler of this clear policy in recent months. We’re aware of continued posting in the Parler app that seeks to incite ongoing violence in the US. We recognize that there can be reasonable debate about content policies and that it can be difficult for apps to immediately remove all violative content, but 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
Google Spokesperson

In a letter from Apple’s App Store review team to Parler seen by Reuters, Apple cited instances of participants using the service to make plans to descend on Washington, D.C., with weapons after a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol building on Wednesday.

“Content that threatens the well-being of others or is intended to incite violence or other lawless acts has never been acceptable on the App Store,” Apple said in the letter.

Apple gave Parler 24 hours to “remove all objectionable content from your app … as well as any content referring to harm to people or attacks on government facilities now or at any future date.” The company also demanded that Parler submit a written plan “to moderate and filter this content” from the app.