Ye’s Newly Acquired App Parler and Its Connection to Jan. 6, Explained

Parler, the social media platform set to be acquired by Kanye West, has long faced scrutiny over its ties to the January 6, 2021, riots at the United States Capitol building.

Conservatives tout Parler as an alternative to more popular social media, such as Facebook or Twitter, because they say it does not censor their users. Parler announced Monday that West, the 45-year-old rapper and fashion designer who has legally changed his name to Ye, plans to acquire the social media site, “taking a bold stance against his recent censorship from Big Tech.”

“In a world where conservative opinions are considered to be controversial we have to make sure we have the right to freely express ourselves,” West said in a statement.

Parler grew in popularity throughout 2020, with supporters of former President Donald Trump flocking to the social media site during and after the election. But after the Jan. 6 riot, which saw hundreds of Trump supporters violently riot at the U.S. Capitol building in a failed effort to block President Joe Biden’s electoral college victory, Parler faced criticism for allegedly allowing its users to promote violence without the posts being removed.

This image shows Kanye West in Paris on October 2, 2022. The 45-year-old rapper is set to acquire Parler, a right-wing social media site that has faced scrutiny after some of its users planned and promoted the Jan. 6 Capitol riot on the platform. Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images Right-Wing Groups Used Parler to Plan, Promote Riot

Alternative social media sites, including Parler, were used by right-wing groups to help plan and promote the riot. Several users made posts promoting and coordinating the “Stop the Steal” riots, which quickly devolved to violence.

On December 29, 2020, Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio called on members to “turn out in record numbers on the 6th, but this time with a twist.” He continued that they would swap out their typical black and yellow uniforms for all black garb and would be “incognito and we will spread across downtown DC in smaller teams.”

One user wrote that “armed” individuals would attend the January 6 protest and that “real chaos” would ensue if Congress “does the wrong thing.” Another post called for an “armed force” of 150,000 people to “react to the congressional events of January 6.”

A USA Today analysis of Parler posts during Trump’s speech on January 6 found that many users called for “civil war” just before rioters made their way to the Capitol. For example, one user wrote: “Time to fight. Civil war is upon us.”

Parler was taken offline by Amazon hosting for violating its service agreements in the aftermath of the rally. Amazon said its decision came after they found 98 posts on the website that promoted violence. Google and Apple also removed it from their app store out of concerns its users could facilitate more violence.

Parler Alerted FBI to Violent Posts

Parler referred at least 50 instances of violent content to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) prior to the riot, prompting backlash from its users who felt the action went against its “free speech” promises.

Parler noted in a previous statement that the First Amendment does not protect violence inciting speech and they would continue to turn over any violent content to law enforcement.

“The First Amendment does not protect violence inciting speech, nor the planning of violent acts. Such content violates Parler’s TOS,” the social media company wrote in a March 2021 post.

FBI Director Christopher Wray, when pressed by Representative Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., in June 2021, said he was unaware that Parler sent warnings that its users were planning the violent rally.

Kanye Acquisition Comes After Twitter, Instagram Lock Out

West was locked out of his social media accounts earlier in October for making antisemitic comments about Jewish people. In a series of messages, he wrote: “I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.”

“The funny thing is I actually can’t be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew also You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda,” he wrote. West’s social media has since been restored.

Newsweek reached out to West’s agents at Creative Artists Agency for comment.