Parler, a largely unregulated social media network favored by conservatives, is back online after a month-long absence.
According to The Verge, those who previously had accounts with the network are once again able to access the site. Parler will allow new users to open accounts beginning next week.
Parler originally launched in 2018 with the goal of protecting free speech online. The site grew its userbase throughout 2020 as mainstream social media sites like Twitter and Facebook began to crack down on the spread of misinformation on their platforms.
Parler was one of several forums where Trump supporters congregated to plan the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol building. In the days after the riot, the Apple App Store and Google Play removed Parler’s mobile app from their stores, citing the riots and the app’s refusal to crack down on misinformation.
The site remained active until Amazon Web Services booted Parler from its servers on Jan. 10, leaving the social network without a place to host its website. With no server space, Parler has been functionally dead for the past month. A judge also ruled against a lawsuit filed by Parler that would have required Amazon to continue hosting the website.
While the site was offline, Parler CEO John Matze was fired by the website’s board of directors. On Monday, the website announced that Mark Meckle would serve as interim CEO for the time being.
”Parler is being run by an experienced team and is here to stay," Meckler said in a statement, according to USA Today. "We will thrive as the premier social media platform dedicated to free speech, privacy and civil dialogue.”
The Verge reports that while previous users can access the website, all past posts are unavailable. Apple’s App Store and Google Play are also still honoring their pledge to ban downloads of the app.
