Parler Being Shutdown Due to Capitol Storming

Who is Parler Being Shutdown Due to Capitol Storming?

This clip is taken from the Joe Rogan Experience 1594 with Yannis Pappas. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1au5C4Mj2Gh9RzRD2c92kV?si=XLSq5rJpT3ivyMvXG502Tw

Topics and Timestamps

• 01Parler social media platform was shut down by Amazon Web Services following the Capitol riots on January 6th
• 02Tech companies faced pressure to remove content and platforms they deemed responsible for inciting violence
• 03Discussion about free speech implications when private companies control the infrastructure of modern communication
• 04Big Tech's power to deplatform and remove competitors from the internet without government intervention
• 05The role of social media in organizing and spreading information during politically charged events
• 06Questions about whether tech companies are publishers with editorial control or neutral platforms
• ▶Amazon Web Services shuts down Parler completely0:00:00
• ▶Discussion about free speech implications of Big Tech deplatforming0:05:00
• ▶Yannis explains Parler as a free speech alternative to Twitter0:10:00
• ▶The infrastructure problem - why it's hard to escape Big Tech control0:15:00
• ▶Debate over whether these are publishers or neutral platforms0:20:00

The Show

In JRE 1594, Joe Rogan sits down with comedian Yannis Pappas to discuss the fallout from the Capitol storming on January 6th and how it led to Parler being shut down by Amazon Web Services. The conversation centers on one of the most consequential moments in modern internet history where a major social media platform was essentially erased from existence because of its perceived role in the events that day.

The main thrust of the discussion is about the immense power that tech companies now wield over public discourse. Parler, which had positioned itself as a free speech alternative to Twitter, became a target after the Capitol riot. Amazon, which hosted Parler's servers through AWS, made the decision to pull the plug entirely. This wasn't just content moderation or removing specific posts - this was a complete deplatforming of an entire company and the millions of users who relied on it.

Yannis and Joe explore what this means for the concept of free speech in the digital age. When private companies control the infrastructure that everyone depends on, can you really have a free and open internet? Parler users couldn't just move to another host easily because the barriers to entry for building your own infrastructure are enormous. It's not like losing your Instagram account - it's like your town's entire phone system being shut down because the phone company decided they didn't like your political views.

The discussion touches on the precedent this sets. If Amazon can remove Parler for hosting content that incited the Capitol riot, what's to stop them from removing other platforms or content they disagree with? Where's the line? Who decides what violates terms of service? This becomes less about whether Parler specifically deserved to be shut down and more about the concentration of power in the hands of a few massive tech companies that answer to no one but their shareholders.

They also discuss whether these companies are being consistent with their moderation or if they're selectively enforcing rules. The argument goes that plenty of other platforms have hosted content calling for violence, but they're treated differently. Is it really about the content or is it about which political direction the platform leans? These questions loom large over the entire conversation.

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