Talk: How Apple and Google’s Banned Social Media Site Came Back Online



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Speak, the social media website popular with Donald Trump supporters that was banned from Apple, Google and Amazon platforms, is back online.

Although the social media site has not regained full operability, there are now two posts to its URL.

“It seems now is the time to remind all of you – in love and hate – why we launched this platform. We believe that privacy is paramount and that freedom of expression is essential, especially on social media. Our goal has always been to provide a non-partisan public place where individuals can enjoy and exercise their rights to both, ”the Parler website read.

“We will solve any challenges that come our way and plan to welcome you all soon. We will not let civil discourse perish! ”

The second is a more succinct article from CEO John Matze from January 16: “Hello everyone, is this thing on?”

When Parler was banned from using Amazon Web Services to host his site, he went offline because the company no longer had access to servers capable of storing the actual content that had been posted to the platform. Since then, Parler has searched for new ways to connect online while being banned from many major web hosting providers and other internet services.

The Talking domain appears to have been registered with Epik, a company that allows websites to register their domain names along with many other services designed to power websites. Epik has also supported not only Speak, but other social media websites such as Gab and 8Chan as well.

However, Epik told CNN that it does not provide Parler’s web hosting. It is currently unclear which company provides server support for Parler.

“Regarding a future relationship between Epik and Parler, it’s important to note that our conversations to date have focused on policy improvements, rather than specific capabilities for hosting and providing services.” Epik said in a Jan. 14 statement.

“Since Parler has the ability to purchase servers directly from almost anywhere in the world, the most critical elements of any return online must first focus on the significant responsibility they bear for self-control. , better governance and more effective application of the policy ”.

According to an employee familiar with the company’s attempts to find new hosting services after being banned from Amazon, the social media site discussed an unannounced deal with Cloudrovia, a other tool provider for websites.

A “more than six figure” deal that has been discussed for “nearly a week” is expected to be announced, with Cloudrovia “massively expanding the server’s capabilities,” the employee said.

A screenshot of an email shared with The independent, with the subject line “Cloudrovia.com will host” and sent to a Parler.com email address, apparently describes the server capabilities required to host the site.

However, the move was seen as controversial within the company. “Everything has become very dark [and] calm, ”they said, adding that employees said they would leave the company if Cloudrovia announced the deal, feeling“ hesitant and confused ”.

Other companies sent messages to Cloudrovia saying they would withdraw their custom if the company hosted Parler, including furniture brand Savs and video calling platform Pijin.

“Yes. We derive our use from all Cloudrovia services. They already support Parler,” a spokesperson for Pijin said. The independent by email.

“Parler was directly involved in promoting propaganda. They incited violence, destruction of government property and murder. They incubate the plot of terrorist attacks. It is not something that will sustain. We will no longer use Cloudrovia and its services. ”

A spokesperson for Savs said the company “does not tolerate any of the hate speech circulating on Parler.”

“One of our partner companies that also works with Cloudrovia informed us about their partnership with Parler,” they continued. “We have read Cloudrovia’s statements on free speech and we will not be working with a company that opens its doors to Speak.”

According to the employee, Cloudrovia’s CEO issued an internal statement saying that she had “offered our services to Talk indefinitely” and that the company had been in communication with the team since the ban went into effect.

The CEO also said that employees should remember the “great efforts” made to “preserve freedom of expression”.

In a public blog post shared Jan. 15, the founder of Cloudrovia said he did not support “violence, anti-government riots or extremism in any form”, but that “our mainstream society has seen the horrific effects of the oppression of free speech from afar. right, but seem to very much accept the same oppression from the far left.

“You may not support the current leader of the United States. However if you respect democracy, you will have considered that 75 million Americans [sic] voted him to power. The recent bans on social networks signal a dangerous threat to our democracy, ”the statement continued.

“We have witnessed the silence of a politician elected by unelected entrepreneurs. Take anyone [sic] the voice, whether it’s your neighbor or your local merchant, should be of concern to all of us. The fact that this voice belongs to the elected leader of the free world shows the chilling power of technology.

The statement goes on to criticize Apple and Google for the Talking platform – claiming the app was launched with “uncensored free speech” as a key feature “- before removing it after the events on Capitol Hill.

Google said it suspended Parler “in light of this ongoing and urgent threat to public safety.”

In an email to executives at Parler, Apple wrote: “We have received numerous complaints about objectionable content in your Talk department, accusations that the Parler app was used to plan, coordinate and facilitate activities. illegal “in Washington DC.

Amazon further removed Parler by removing it from Amazon Web Services. Amazon told Parler that it has seen “a steady increase in this violent content on your website, which violates all of our terms.”

“AWS’s decision to effectively close the Talk account is apparently motivated by political animosity,” the lawsuit says.

“These claims are unfounded. AWS provides technology and services to customers from all political walks of life and we respect the right of Speaking to determine for itself what content it will allow, ”an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement.

“However, it is clear that there is significant content on Speak that encourages and incites violence against others, and that Speak is unable or unwilling to identify and promptly remove such content, which is a violation of our guidelines. Terms of use. We raised our concerns with Parler for several weeks and during that time we saw a significant increase in this type of dangerous content, not a decrease, which led to their services being suspended on Sunday night.

Additionally, Talk encourages users to pass more credentials than Facebook or Twitter, including their driver’s license, in order to receive a “verified real person” badge, similar to the blue check mark on Twitter.

“[Law enforcement] can just assign AWS once people start digging into that stuff. remember: these people were stupid enough to give Parler pictures of their identities, ”said a hacker who was examining the data.

Neither Parler nor Cloudrovia responded to repeated requests for comment when contacted by The independent.

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