Apple Says No To Parler’s Re-Entry Into App Store Over Objectionable Content

Social media app Parler is trying to return to App Store but Apple has reportedly has refused re-entry. The re-entry to its App Store means that Apple users would be able to download the app on iPhones. The tech giant has reportedly told Parler that the changes made are not sufficient to comply with the guidelines of App Store Review. “After having reviewed the updates, we found that they are not sufficient. App Store cannot allow racist, hateful, discriminatory content. Developers must make considerable changes to filter such objectionable content. This is very important as protecting the health and safety of our users are our prime concern,” Apple said.

It had joined Google in removing the social media app from App Store following the Capitol Hill riots in January this year. The move excluded Parler from all smartphones of Apple. A similar decision was taken by Amazon as it removed the social media app from its web hosting services. Because of this, Parler went offline for quite a few days. It came back online only after finding another hosting service provider last month. Apple said that derogatory comments, as well as Nazi symbols, were still available on the platform. “For these reasons, we cannot allow your app to return to App Store for distribution. For this, you need to comply with all the guidelines.”

Reacting to it, Parler issued a statement where the company insisted that it had always worked on removing violent content and opposed content that can incite violence. According to Breitbart, Parler showed Apple they have incorporated several changes to remove content that has the potential of inciting violence. “We have used a combination of algorithmic filters and human review for this. We also explained our new feature that allows users to filter out persona attacks. We are hopeful that the tech giant will differentiate with other ‘Big Tech’ companies by accepting its customers’ choice,” Parler said in the statement.