Technology company Parlement has reached an initial understanding to sell social media app Parler to Kanye West, according to a company press release.
Parler is a platform that brings together conservative and far-right tweeters and supporters of former President Donald Trump, as well as followers of conspiracy theories, and it has between 700,000 and one million active users.
“The proposed acquisition of Parler Corporation will secure a future role in creating an irrevocable ecosystem where all voices are welcomed,” the company’s press release said.
Last week, West’s Twitter and Instagram accounts were closed over anti-Semitic posts, according to Euronews.
West has since created an account on Parler, which launched in 2018, an app favored by many conservatives who oppose moderation policies over major apps like Facebook and Twitter.
“In a world where conservative views are controversial, we must make sure that we have the right to express ourselves freely,” West said in a press release.
Parler agreed to sell the entire app to Kanye West, but the parties have yet to enter into a definitive purchase agreement. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Conservative parties have for years accused traditional social media apps of obstructing freedom of expression and censoring content, which has led to the creation of new Parler-style apps that offer minimal moderation of content.
Trump helped launch a similar platform, Truth Social, after he was fired from Twitter in January 2021 for violating the rules for inciting violence after the January 6 riots, when a mob of supporters stormed the Capitol.
Parler CEO George Farmer said in a statement that the company welcomes Kanye West “in the fight for freedom of expression.”
Farmer added: “With the Social Justice mob continuing to point the finger at people with whom they disagree, Parler’s door is open, and his view provides an impartial viewpoint on social media, an environment in which everyone can speak freely.”
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