Apple has removed social media platform Parler from its App Store, claiming that the platform has not adequately implemented moderation policies that crack down on free speech. Google banned Parler from its Android app store on Friday.
“Parler has not taken adequate measures to address the proliferation of these threats to people’s safety. We have suspended Parler from the App Store until they resolve these issues,” said Apple in a statement on Saturday.
In its letter to Parler, the tech giant claimed that the “processes Parler has put in place to moderate or prevent the spread of dangerous and illegal content have proved insufficient.”
“We have determined that the measures you describe are inadequate to address the proliferation of dangerous and objectionable content on your app,” said Apple.
Apple went on to say that while it believes there is no perfect way to crack down on free speech, all apps are “required to have robust content moderation plans in place.”
“While there is no perfect system to prevent all dangerous or hateful user content, apps, are required to have robust content moderation plans in place to proactively and effectively address these issues,” said Apple. “A temporary ‘task force’ is not a sufficient response given the widespread proliferation of harmful content.”
“For these reasons, your app will be removed from the App Store until we receive an update that is compliant with the App Store Review Guidelines and you have demonstrated your ability to effectively moderate and filter the dangerous and harmful content on your service,” Apple added.
The company’s move has effectively excluded the app from all Apple smartphones.
Apple’s decision to ban Parler arrives one day after Google removed Parler from its Play Store — effectively excluding the app from all Android smartphones.
“The tech tyrants at Apple have pulled the app from their App Store,” said Dan Bongino in a statement.
“Apple is no different than the Chinese communist party in their preference for totalitarian thought control,” added Bongino. “I’m proud of the remaining liberty-loving people of this great country. And I’m embarrassed, and horrified by the tech totalitarians who’ve taken control of it.”
Both Google and Apple banned the Parler app from their app stores following Twitter permanently banning President Donald Trump from its platform, as well as Facebook and Instagram locking the president out of his accounts “indefinitely.”
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, on Parler at @alana, and on Instagram.