Parler CEO Fired By Board Of Directors
Parler founder and CEO John Matze confirms he has been fired by board of directors, as far right social platform faces uncertain future
The founder and CEO of far right Parler app, John Matze, has confirmed that the board of directors has fired him.
Parler was founded in 2018 and billed itself as a “free speech-driven” social media platform, but it became a haven for many on the far right who objected to the misinformation and falsehood rules on Facebook and Twitter.
After the storming of the US Capitol building on Wednesday 6 January by Donald Trump supporters, that resulted in the deaths of five people, including one police officer who was beaten to death, Google and Apple removed Parler from their respective App Stores.
Founder and CEO fired
In the aftermath, both Google and Apple suspended the Parler app from their respective app stores.
Soon after, Parler was effectively shutdown when Amazon Web Services (AWS) stopped hosting the right wing alternative to Twitter.
Parler is suing AWS in response.
Since that time, Parler has partially returned online with the help of a Russian-owned technology company.
But the platform’s future remains uncertain with US lawmakers calling for the FBI to investigate the role of the platform in facilitating and planning the attack on the US Capitol.
Consequentially, its board of directors have decided to dismiss CEO John Matze, who founded Parler as an alternative to mainstream platforms.
The platform is thought to have between 10 to 12 million users.
Matze describes himself as libertarian, the Guardian newspaper reported.
“On January 29, 2021, the Parler board controlled by Rebekah Mercer decided to immediately terminate my position as CEO of Parler. I did not participate in this decision,” Matze said in a memo sent to Parler staff, originally reported by Fox News.
Parler takedown
Parler was mostly used by supporters of former US President Donald Trump and the right wing, and is also reportedly awash with QAnon conspiracy content.
QAnon is a far-right conspiracy that allege there is a “deep state” campaign against Donald Trump and his supporters.
Essentially QAnon touts there is a worldwide cabal of Satan-worshipping paedophiles who rule the world, and who control politicians, the media, and Hollywood.
A hacker archived the Parler posts of Trump’s supporters, to help reconstruct the role the social media platform played in the deadly assault on the US Capitol.
Posts on Parler have called for the killing of Democrats, Muslims, Black Lives Matter leaders, and mainstream media journalists.
