The right-wing app Parler has been allowed to return to the Google Play Store after it was banned for claiming it helped incite violence during the Capitol Hill riots in January 2021, but Truth Social has not been so lucky.
The news comes as investment in social media companies appears to be slowing, according to new data from research firm GlobalData.
Parler was launched in 2018. It billed itself as a space for free speech and an alternative to platform giants like Facebook and Twitter. He quickly joined those supporting then-US President Donald Trump. Trump himself was banned from Facebook and Twitter following the Capitol Hill uprising.
Many journalists have criticized Parler for being a space for far-right extremists and conspiracy theorists. In 2020, NBC News reported that the app banned liberal users.
Like Trump’s recently rejected Truth Social app, Google banned Speak for its lack of moderation to ban hateful and violent content from its users. Timing could work against Talking though.
“The months leading up to the US midterms could be a particularly dangerous time for the reintroduction of Parler to the App Store,” said Lil Read, principal analyst at GlobalData. Verdict.
“Parler’s edits to the moderation of its content must meet the highest standards before it can, in good conscience, be allowed to return to the Google Play Store.”
The right-wing app was reinstated in Apple’s App Store four months ago after agreeing to store some messages and search for hate speech on its iOS version.
The fact that Google has accepted the app on the platform likely means Parler has made similar changes to its Android app.
Former CEO Mark Meckler said in a statement emailed at the time: “The entire Parler team has worked hard to address Apple’s concerns without compromising our core mission.
“Anything allowed on the Parler network but not in the iOS app will remain accessible through our web and Android versions. It’s a win-win for Parler, its users, and freedom of expression.
The right-wing app celebrated its return to Android phones in a tweet on Friday: “MAJOR NEWS: We’re BACK on the Google Play Store!
“Happy download, Android users! »
Christina Cravens, Parler’s Marketing Manager, said: “Parler is firmly committed to freedom of expression and despite market duopoly, strives to provide options and choices for the millions of voices currently censored or suppressed based on their point of view”.
Trump’s Truth Social continues to argue for Google’s endorsement
Truth Social, a conservative-focused Twitter impersonator created by Trump, is still working to get Google to let it on the Play Store.
Google announced it was blocking the app last week for not meeting the standards needed to be listed.
Devin Nunes, a former U.S. Representative and CEO of Truth Social, reportedly pleaded with Google to reverse the decision, The Independent reports.
Nunes said in a newsmax interview that the platform was “family friendly” and went so far as to say “there is no cleaner platform than Truth Social”.
Google noted that Truth Social is aware of the need for effective moderation systems to appear in its marketplace and says the platform is “working to address these issues”.
Social media investment plummets after record year
News of Parler’s return and Truth Social’s failure on Android devices follows a period of exponential growth for the social media industry.
The amount of money raised by venture capitalists on social media has increased at a steady rate since 2012.
Venture capital deals on social media in 2021 totaled more than $10 billion, up from just $309 million in 2012, according to GlobalData.
Despite strong growth in funds raised, the actual number of deals closed remained broadly stable over the decade.
In 2012, the number of venture capital operations carried out rose to 130, compared to 385 in 2018 and 300 in 2021.
While 2021 proved to be a banner year for venture capital investments in the social media industry, it seems that the flow of money into the sector has slowed down in 2022.
As of September 5, 2022, the industry has so far only had north of $2.7 billion across 165 deals, a far cry from the levels seen in 2021.
GlobalData is the parent company of Verdict and its sister publications.
