Conservative SNS Bans in the US Raise 'Freedom of Expression' Concerns in Germany and France

Big Tech Blocks 'Parler' Service
German Chancellor Merkel: "Twitter's Permanent Suspension of President Trump's Account Is Problematic"

▲Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Controversy over ‘freedom of expression’ has erupted online regarding the removal of the conservative-leaning social networking service (SNS) Parler, which was identified as the force behind the unprecedented storming of the U.S. Congress. Opposition has emerged not only from conservative supporters in the U.S. but also simultaneously from Germany and France.

According to Bloomberg News on the 11th (local time), German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed concerns about private tech companies, rather than legislative bodies, overseeing freedom of the press.

◆ Germany and France Criticize in Succession = Stefan Seibert, spokesperson for the German government, said at a regular press conference that day, "We are concerned about Twitter permanently suspending the account of an elected president," adding, "Rights such as freedom of the press can be restricted by law, but companies should not be the ones to decide this." Seibert conveyed that Chancellor Angela Merkel views the permanent suspension of President Trump’s account as "problematic."

Clement Beaune, France’s Secretary of State for European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also said in an interview with Bloomberg TV, "I was shocked to see a private company making such an important decision," and mentioned, "There is a need for public regulation of large online platforms."

This follows Twitter’s permanent suspension of U.S. President Donald Trump’s account on the 8th. Subsequently, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitch also indefinitely suspended President Trump’s accounts.

In response to this situation, far-right supporters including President Trump are showing signs of switching to the alternative SNS Parler. According to IT media TechCrunch, Parler has emerged as an alternative SNS among Trump supporters, ranking first in downloads on the Apple App Store that day. Parler’s downloads surged from 55,000 on the 7th to 210,000 on the 8th. The number of downloads of this app in the U.S. over three days from the 6th totaled 268,000.

Founded in 2018, Parler is an SNS favored by far-right groups such as ‘QAnon’ and ‘Proud Boys’ and white supremacists, with a policy of imposing minimal restrictions on statements by politicians and others. Parler has also received funding from Rebecca Mercer, a major donor to President Trump, and far-right figures.

◆ Legal Battle Between Big Tech and Parler Escalates = As a result, Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store, the two major app markets, blocked Parler downloads, further intensifying the controversy.

Apple stated, "We have always supported diverse viewpoints on the App Store, but we do not provide a space for threats of violence and illegal activities." Google also explained, "We had no choice but to temporarily remove the Parler app from the Play Store due to threats to public safety and order."

Additionally, Amazon, Parler’s web hosting provider, announced on the 11th (local time) that it would sequentially suspend web hosting for Parler by region, meaning all major IT companies have blocked the service, distribution, and infrastructure.

Parler immediately reacted against the actions of the big tech companies. John Matze, Parler’s CEO, targeted Google and Apple, saying, "They will not win," and "We are the last hope for freedom of expression and free information." Parler filed a lawsuit against Amazon that day.

Conservative right-wing figures also rallied support for Parler. Devin Nunes, Republican Congressman from California, pointed out, "Republicans have no means of communication." Conservative commentator Lou Dobbs also posted on Parler that he had filed an antitrust lawsuit against related IT companies such as Apple and Amazon.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.