This new 'alternative' social network has emerged as an oasis for all who believe that there was indeed fraud in the US elections or defend QAnon's conspiracy theories.
If you remember a little, the list is long. Do you remember GAB or Mastodon? Many have tried to replace Facebook, and especially Twitter, with alternative platforms that promised more freedom, better results or greater privacy and ethical use of data, but despite the passing of the years and the fleeting success of their predecessors, the options continue to grow.
What is behind Parler? The latest viral network promising to dethrone FB and Twitter
The last to try and, for now, go viral, is Parler. An American 'app' that has become one of the most downloaded in recent weeks with a clear, but not very original 'claim': freedom of expression. As explained in media such as TechCrunch, The New York Times or the BBC, Parler has become one of the most downloaded 'apps' in the entire North American country during the elections and even more so after the victory of Joe Biden, reaching the the first position this weekend.
With his speech of total 'free speech', this network has become a kind of refuge for the most staunch followers of the already outgoing US president who defend the idea that there has been fraud in the elections. While the great actors like Twitter or Facebook itself blocked or censored all the content referring to these theories, Parler is in an oasisin which to dump all those ideas without fear that their managers say or do anything. But what and who is behind this platform?
As has already been said, it is one of many 'alternatives' to sites like Twitter that, with the idea of being a better place for their users or a free space, have tried to take advantage of the discontent with the large platforms, but that does not stop being interesting its history. Behind her is John Matze, CEO of Parler and defender of libertarian positions.
According to statements by this businessman to media such as FOX , he believes that there is a serious problem with social networks, but he relates it to a clear benefit towards leftist positions and does not think that greater regulation would change anything, as many experts claim, but that what is needed is exactly the opposite, the key would be in total liberalization. That already gives an idea of the entrails of the platform, but it does not stop there.
If we look at its appearance, we clearly see the resemblance of this network to Twitter, so the objective could not be clearer: to be a new Twitter, but without interventions. Almost anything can be written on its platform, there is no content verification and you run the risk of being censored, according to Matze. And although he does not take as clear a position politically as the owner of GAB, Andrew Torba, they do follow the same position. What's more, both have taken the word 'freedom of expression' as a symbol.
Contrary to what happens with Mastodon, for example, much more heeled to the left, its audience is also similar, and it shows even in its 'influencers'.
This weekend Parler experienced a new upturn due to everything that happened during the elections and the support of different opinion leaders close to Trump or the 'alt-right', but the truth is that it is already the 'second wave' of migration to this platform.
Already in July, in full protests of the Black Lives Matter movement, the 'app', created in 2018 and unknown until 2020, saw its users multiply thanks to the support of politicians such as Republican Ted Cruz, presenters of FOX News.
At that time, the result ended with some 3 million active users for the Matze network, but everything indicates that these days the figures may have been multiplied with figures such as the president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, joining the bandwagon. In addition, the various censorship of groups and profiles related to QAnon's theories have also pushed many of these users to this social network.
Migrations without the ability to win
Although the two platforms are very similar in practice, Matze has made it clear from the beginning that certain topics such as pornography, violent threats or terrorism are not allowed on his network.
A crucial difference with respect to other spaces and that also collides, in part, with the discourse that the platform carries and that has helped them go so far. There are even users who claim that they have blocked their accounts for trying to 'troll' conservative profiles.
It is a clear move to try to broaden the spectrum with a more moderate and serious vision of the platform, but when it comes to whether this network can destroy any of the giants such as Twitter or Facebook, everything indicates that it is something quite complicated, if not impossible, at least if nothing changes.
Although he even made a video in which he showed his support for the new social network, and announced that he would create a new profile there, he continues to tweet daily and at a significant rate. Why do it if you have the perfect substitute who is also better and does not censor you?
0 Comments