Parler servers shutdown, files lawsuit

Parler recently lost access to Apple and Google’s app store this weekend, but Amazon Web Services has canceled hosting services for Parler.

“Every vendor, from text message services to email providers to our lawyers, all ditched us too, on the same day,” Parler CEO John Matze said in an interview with Fox News on Sunday.

Matze believes that there was a deliberate effort to get rid of Parler by the tech giants that shut Parler down.

“They all work together to make sure at the same time we would lose access to not only our apps, but they’re actually shutting all of our servers off tonight, off the internet,” Matze said.

Parler was founded by Matze and Jared Thomson in Henderson, Nevada, in 2018. As of Nov., the service has about 4 million active users and over 10 million total users.

According to the letter given to Parler from Amazon Web Services, “Because Parler cannot comply with our terms of service and poses a very real risk to public safety, we plan to suspend Parler’s account effective Sunday, January 10th, at 11:59 PM PST.”

Matze and Parler have filed suit against Amazon Web Services for violating their contract due to political and competitive reasons.

In a lawsuit filed by Parler, Matze alleges “AWS’s decision to effectively terminate Parler’s account is apparently motivated by political animus. It is also apparently designed to reduce competition in the microblogging services market to the benefit of Twitter.”

According to Apple’s App Store top charts, Parler and MeWe received massive upticks in downloads and held the first and second most downloads in November.

In the app description, Parler is described as a non-biased, free speech social media focused on protecting users’ rights.

“You can create your community and enjoy content and news in real-time. Apply moderation tools to filter content. Empower yourself to control your social experience and be a verified member of the community!”

Creating a Parler account is free and requires both an email address and phone number. You can have a Parler verified account by supplying a photo of themselves and a scan of the front and back of their government-issued photo identification.