In need of a safe space, Republicans head to the Twitter-like Parler in droves
This isn’t surprising.

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The social media platform Parler has been around for a couple of years now, but it was until recently that the app really started to gain traction. You see, the app claims that it is a haven for free speech. What that really means is that it is playing on conservative and right-wing theories that social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook are censoring them. There is, of course, no proof of that.
Nevermind that Parler has terms of service like literally every other platform and that it can ban users for any reason it sees fit (and trust me, it bans plenty of people). In my personal experience with the platform, it is filled with vitriol and right-wing Donald Trump supporters calling people to take up arms. It’s essentially an echo chamber for their biases and should be treated as such.
Well, now, with Joe Biden winning the election (barring some fuckery by Trump and company), people on Facebook and Twitter that have spent the last four years telling liberals to “deal with it or leave” and calling people snowflakes for not wanting to be harassed on social platforms are doing exactly that – leaving. Imagine that.
According to Sensor Tower, the app has seen almost one million downloads between November 3 and November 8. According to The Verge, “It is currently the #1 free app in the iOS App Store, up from #1,023 on November 2nd. It’s also #1 in the Google Play rankings, up from #486 the previous week.”
This isn’t that surprising considering that both Facebook and Twitter are actively flagging posts spreading unfounded claims regarding voter fraud, election meddling, and conspiracy theories.
What do you think? Have you tried out Parler? What do you think of it? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.
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