Parler

Parler is a French verb meaning "to speak." In present tense it is conjugated as: je parle, tu parles, il parle, nous parlons, vous parlez, ils parlent. The verb appears in many phrases, such as parler français (to speak French) or parler anglais (to speak English).

Parler is also the name of an American social networking service founded in 2018 by John Matze and Jared Thomson. The platform marketed itself as a space for free expression with relatively minimal content moderation. It allows users to post messages, comment, and follow others, and it positioned itself as an alternative to other mainstream networks, attracting users including conservative commentators and supporters in the United States and elsewhere.

The service became controversial because its permissive moderation was cited as enabling disinformation and harmful content. In January 2021, after the U.S. Capitol riot, Apple and Google removed Parler from their app stores and Amazon Web Services terminated hosting, citing policy violations. Parler went offline briefly and later relaunched under new hosting arrangements and with changes in ownership. In 2021 the company was acquired by Parlement Technologies, which continued to operate Parler as a moderated platform.

Parler remains part of broader debates about online free speech, platform responsibility, and content moderation. The name Parler also serves as a reference to the French verb, connecting the platform’s branding to its stated emphasis on open speech.