Starboard, a digital media agency has acquired a conservative social media platform, Parler. The acquisition targets to revamp the platform and make it additional answerable without cost speech. The take over has end in a non everlasting shutdown of Parler. This switch has sparked mixed reactions, whereas the supporters of the platform are concerned about censorship, the critics are highlighting the unfold of hate speech and misinformation. Starboard has devoted to make Parler a additional constructive platform with out value speech.
Parler
Parler is a popular conservative social media platform. It’s an alt-tech social networking service. Just like Gettr, Gab, and Reality Social, Parler is described as a free-speech numerous to Twitter. It was primarily based 5 years once more and was reinstated on Google’s play retailer and Apple’s app retailer after being eradicated via the U.S. Capitol riots in January 2021.
It offers a platform for conservatives and individuals who discover themselves banned from completely different social media web sites. However, Parler has confronted criticism for its operate in spreading misinformation and facilitating hate speech.
Starboard
Starboard, beforehand typically generally known as Olympic Media, is a conglomerate with a historic previous of turning spherical struggling corporations. It was primarily based in 2018 and is a home to quite a lot of conservative leaning platforms similar to American Wire and BizPac Consider.
In step with Starboard, it has acquired Parler to revamp the platform and make it a additional inclusive and accountable platform with out value speech. The small print of the deal and the sum simply isn’t disclosed however nonetheless Starboard talked about that the acquisition is likely to be accretive by the tip of second quarter 2023. As part of the acquisition, Starboard has briefly shut down Parler to begin the strategy of restructuring the platform.
Restructuring of Parler
In step with research, Parler’s CEO George Farmer will step down and is likely to be modified by Igor Shalkevich, the company’s chief enchancment officer. Plenty of months once more, in September, Parler had restructured into Parlement Utilized sciences. It moreover bought California-based private cloud corporations agency, Dynascale.
Kanye West confirmed curiosity in purchasing for Parler
This switch received right here after American rapper Kanye West confirmed curiosity in purchasing for the platform’s dad or mum agency Parlement Utilized sciences, quite a lot of months once more. Nonetheless as a result of the dad or mum agency terminated the sale of Parler and the deal collapsed.
Brief-term shutdown of Parler
The selection to briefly shut down Parler has been met with mixed reactions. Plenty of supporters are expressing concerns about censorship whereas critics argue that the platform has contributed to the unfold of hate speech and misinformation.
A platform with out value speech
Starboard has mentioned that they’re devoted to creating certain that Parler turns right into a additional accountable platform with out value speech. In an announcement, the company talked about, “We think about that free speech is a fundamental correct, nonetheless we moreover think about that it comes with responsibility. We’re devoted to creating Parler a platform that fosters constructive dialogue and helps the commerce of quite a few viewpoints.” As well as they added that making a Twitter clone only for conservatives simply isn’t a viable enterprise.
The acquisition of Parler comes at a time when social media platforms are going via rising stress to deal with issues with hate speech and misinformation. The non everlasting shutdown of Parler has led to speculations about whether or not or not it’s going to be able to deal with the issues efficiently whereas nonetheless upholding the values of free speech.