In the wake of being temporarily suspended from Twitter and Instagram for antisemitic comments, Kanye West is purchasing one of the internet’s remaining havens for unfettered hate: Parler.
In an announcement on the site, with the hashtag “uncancelable,” Parler said it entered into an agreement with Ye, as he is now known, to purchase the social networking site.
“Parlement Technologies is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement in principle for Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, to acquire the Parler platform. The acquisition ensures Parler a future role in creating an uncancelable ecosystem where all voices are welcome,” the announcement proclaimed.
In the statement, Parler CEO George Farmer said the deal would “change the world.”
Says Parler CEO George Farmer, “This deal will change the world, and change the way the world thinks about free speech. Ye is making a groundbreaking move into the free speech media space and will never have to fear being removed from social media again.” #parler
#uncancelableAdvertisement— Parler (@parler_app) October 17, 2022
Parler rose to prominence as one of the right-wing apps where supporters of former President Donald Trump helped plan the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. It was kicked off its hosting platforms and at one point was near death in the days after the insurrection.
Although it survived, it is unclear if it is thriving. The right-wing social networking space is crowded, with Telegram and Truth Social pulling users away from Parler. It’s possible that Ye’s purchase could breathe new life into it.
All three pledge to be free from the shackles of big tech, where users can post anything they want without the worry of being banned or suspended by Silicon Valley “elites.”
As noted online by researchers, Parler wildly lags behind even Truth Social, which itself is struggling to gain a foothold.
A number of people online pointed out that Farmer, Parler’s CEO, is married to Candace Owens, who has been side-by-side with Kanye as he dropped a string of antisemitic tweets and wore a White Lives Matter shirt at a fashion show.
Ye’s Parler purchase is the latest in a string of high-profile social media moves, with Elon Musk still supposedly working to buy Twitter and Trump starting his own site.
Terms of the deal, or a timeline for the acquisition, have not been announced.
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*First Published: Oct 17, 2022, 8:52 am CDT
David Covucci
David Covucci is the senior politics and technology editor at the Daily Dot, covering the nexus between Washington and Silicon Valley. His work has appeared in Vice, the Huffington Post, Jezebel, Gothamist, and other publications. He is particularly interested in hearing any tips you have. Reach out at [email protected]
