Celine Ryan writes for the Daily Caller about the latest developments surrounding a social media company that functions as an alternative to Twitter.
After an unexpected surge of new users caused some technical difficulties earlier in the week, the new app that some are calling the answer to the ongoing battle between conservatives and Twitter is back up and running, promising to support free expression online.
The platform, called Parler News, is named for the French word meaning “to speak,” and many are saying it is the next logical move for those who wish to do so freely without fear of being silenced.
“Alternative platforms will rise and those who are bold will switch,” Parler News founder and CEO John Matze wrote in a post on his platform Monday night. “Big tech is not too big to topple, in fact, they are blinded by their size/power and are hurting themselves by ideologically targeting groups.”
The structure of the app itself closely mirrors that of Twitter, limiting the learning curve for those who choose to make the jump. User posts are limited to 1,000 characters, which other users can then support by “voting” and “echoing,” rather than “liking” and “retweeting.”
Parler’s app description boasts of “easy discovery of true-trending comments, posts, and news,” promising users that the information they seek won’t be censored or slanted. It also notes a “self-moderation” feature, which allows users to curate their own experiences according to the type of content they want to see, without shutting down the voices of others.
