On Tuesday, digital media company Starboard announced that it plans to acquire the controversial social media platform Parler, saving it from its current shutdown.
Parler is a US-based social media platform that launched in 2018 and quickly gained popularity among conservatives. It had more than 15 million users before its closure on January 8th. The platform had been widely criticised for its lax content moderation policies, which led the Apple App Store and Google Play Store to remove it. This prompted the Amazon Web Services to halt its hosting of the website, subsequently causing the platform to shut down temporarily.
The acquisition by Starboard is seen by many as an attempt to save the platform from its current state and restore its image. Starboard is an online media company launched by American financier-turned-entrepreneur Jeffrey Wernick in 2018. Their goal is to create platforms that allow people to participate in meaningful conversations and restore Internet freedom to its users.
In the official press release, the company said it plans to modernise the platform and restore its reputation by introducing a new content moderation policy. This will include artificial intelligence technology and an oversight team to ensure compliance with the community guidelines. They have also promised to introduce stronger encryption and enhanced security measures to ensure the safety of users’ data.
Parler is expected to return in the coming weeks, but it will be under the new leadership of Starboard. The company has made it clear that once the relaunch takes place, users will need to agree to the updated terms of service in order to access the platform.
Although the relaunch has been met with enthusiasm among conservative circles, it’s uncertain how the general public will react to the new ownership. Nevertheless, Starboard is confident in its acquisition, believing that their strategies will make the social media platform successful and secure once again.
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