It was never a fair expectation that Parler would be able to scale up moderation in 24 hours.
So this was in effect a rigged deadline, somewhat analogous to a "Performance Improvement Plan".
So this was in effect a rigged deadline, somewhat analogous to a "Performance Improvement Plan".
Apple asked for a plan, not for an implementation.
From Apple's letter:
> In addition [to removing the death threat examples in the letter], you must respond to this message with detailed information about how you intend to moderate and filter this content from your app, and what you will do to improve moderation and content filtering your service for this kind of objectionable content going forward.
> We have determined that the measures you describe are inadequate to address the proliferation of dangerous and objectionable content on your app.
I'm not sure Apple is acting in good faith here. What is considered adequate? Facebook has had all sorts of crazy stuff on it like the Christchurch shooting (and regularly also abuses iOS API's) and has never been taken down.
So it's possible Apple also took those things into account and was able to determine it just wasn't going to work out, and there was no need to go any further.
If you read Amazon's letter where they inform Parler they're kicked off, which you can find in the Buzzfeed News article, it sounds pretty cut and dry.
Using a lack of moderation as your selling point and then being surprised by such a deadline when you intentionally host content that doesn't tally with the platform you're on seems short-sighted.
The intent is likely to not moderate - it'd kill the platform. It remains accessible by web. Does it need a native app?
Ultimately the market will sort this out.
Parler is listed at 2.8 million total users back in July.[0] Assuming that's doubled and all lean towards Trump, that still represents a fair minority of voters.
The website remains there for those users that want to use the platform, but curated app stores that aim to promote certain values (and are fairly clear about those values) don't seem to be the right place for these platforms that devolve into highly controversial places.