Kanye West will soon own social media network Parler
Parler announced that Kanye West, legally known as Ye, is buying the social media platform. The company confirmed that they had entered an agreement with the rapper and will finalize it later this year.
Kanye West said, “In a world where conservative opinions are considered controversial, we have to make sure we have the right to freely express ourselves.” Parlement Technologies, the parent company of Parler, cited in a statement. The purchase will help make “an uncancelable ecosystem where all voices are welcome.”
Although there’s no disclosure of the acquisition price, Parlement Technologies would still offer tech support like cloud services. In addition, Ye is purchasing a social media platform at this time when social media giants are having issues controlling their largest users. On top of that, buying Parler also marks the growing development of other social media websites.
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. pic.twitter.com/KXdhV71prl
— Parler (@parler_app) October 17, 2022
Parler’s focus on free speech had been the target of some conspiracy theorists. Many have also accused the social media platform of the rioters of the Jan.6 Capitol attack as a plotting stage. Moreover, after the riot, both Google and Apple eliminated the network from their app stores.
Parler on moderation policies
Apple stated the “threats of violence and illegal activity” on Parler. It also claimed that the platform had “not taken adequate measures to address the proliferation of these threats to people’s safety.” The same month, Amazon removed the platform from its web hosting site.
In February 2021, the platform was back online after Parler agreed to stricter moderation of posts. In its press release notes, Parlement Technologies’ said that its cloud services are unremovable even after West’s acquisition. CEO George Farmer also said in a press statement that the acquisition would “change the world and change the way the world thinks about free speech.”
Kanye West is buying ‘free speech platform’ Parler https://t.co/khD7ZRIw5H pic.twitter.com/Mv0eWvg6de
— The Verge (@verge) October 17, 2022
George Farmer added, “Ye is making a groundbreaking move into the free speech media space and will never have to fear being removed from social media again. Once again, Ye proves he is one step ahead of the legacy media narrative. Parlement will help him achieve his goals.”
Parler CEO George farmer is Candace Owen’s husband. The latter is a conservative influencer. While George is the son of the founder of metal trader Red KIte Capital Management. It is a member of the UK’s House of Lords and former treasurer of the Conservative party.
Conservative social media platforms
With the emergence of social media networks promising fewer moderation policies, Parler is one to keep up. Like former president Trump launching his own social media platform, Truth Social, after Twitter banned him, Kanye West recently also had restrictions from Twitter and Instagram. But Truth Social was now available at the App store and would soon launch at the Google Play store.
Moreover, Kanye West also had some issues with his former business partners, Adidas and Gap. He was recently under scrutiny for wearing a shirt saying “White Lives Matter.” It’s also uncertain how Ye will fund the Parler deal. A Bloomberg review shows that he only had $122 million in cash and stock.
In 2016, Kanye West also had a diagnosis with bipolar disorder. Although the rapper was completely open about his mental health situation. He said that during his worst episodes, he becomes “hyper-paranoid about everything, everyone.”
