Parler announces relaunch with Mark Meckler as interim CEO

Parler announces its relaunch with Mark Meckler named as interim CEO a month after being shut down over Capitol riots

  • Conservative social media site Parler announced its relaunch on Monday  
  • It comes just over a month after Apple, Google and Amazon banned Parler from their app stores in the wake of the January 6 Capitol riots 
  • It is unclear where the relaunched site is being hosted 
  • Parler’s statement included a quote from its new Interim CEO Mark Meckler
  • Meckler stepped in after the previous CEO, founder Mark Matze, was fired 

Parler has announced its official relaunch a month after it was shut down over violent and incendiary posts about the January 6 Capitol riots.

The conservative social media site delivered the news in a statement obtained on Monday but did not disclose where its relaunched site is being hosted.

‘Parler, the world’s #1 free speech social media platform with over 20 million users, is announcing its official relaunch today, built on sustainable, independent technology and not reliant on so-called “Big Tech” for its operations,’ the statement read. 

‘Parler’s relaunch – open to Americans of all viewpoints – is available immediately.’ 

The statement also included a quote from Parler’s new Interim CEO Mark Meckler, who stepped in after the previous chief executive, founder Mark Matze, was fired earlier this month. 

‘Parler was built to offer a social media platform that protects free speech and values privacy and civil discourse,’ Meckler said. 

‘When Parler was taken offline in January by those who desire to silence tens of millions of Americans, our team came together, determined to keep our promise to our highly engaged community that we would return stronger than ever. We’re thrilled to welcome everyone back. 

‘Parler is being run by an experienced team and is hear to stay. We will thrive as the premier social media platform dedicated to free speech, privacy, and civil dialogue.’ 

Parler announced its official relaunch on Monday, a month after it was shut down over violent and incendiary posts about the January 6 Capitol riots

Parler's relaunch statement included a quote from its new Interim CEO Mark Meckler (pictured)

Meckler stepped in after the previous CEO, founder Mark Matze (pictured), was fired

Parler’s relaunch statement included a quote from its new Interim CEO Mark Meckler (left), who stepped in after the previous chief executive, founder Mark Matze (right), was fired

Apple, Google and Amazon banned Parler from their app stores days after the Capitol siege due to a failure to moderate ‘egregious content’ posted by users in connection with the violence.  

On January 19 Parler reappeared with the help of a Russian-owned web security service.

Parler’s domain name is now registered with Epik Inc., a website services company based in Sammamish, Washington, according to public records made available by internet regulator Icann. 

Epik is also the domain registrar for Gab, another less restrictive social networking site popular with the far right. 

In Monday’s announcement Parler said the platform would only be available to existing users in the first week of the relaunch. New users will be available to sign up beginning next week.  

This is a developing story.