Parler rejoins the internet

A conservative-friendly social network that Big Tech tried to shut down a month ago reopened on Monday, albeit with technical difficulties. People with existing accounts on Parler could log in again, but by midafternoon, many users got messages that the network had reached capacity.

Where did Parler go, and how did it find its way back? After the Jan. 6 insurgency at the U.S. Capitol, tech giants accused the company of failing to monitor its content for threats and hate speech. Apple and Google removed the Parler app from their digital stores, and Amazon booted it from its web hosting services a few days after the riot. During the blackout, Parler’s board of directors fired CEO John Matze and hired tea party organizer Mark Meckler as his interim replacement. Reports varied as to which company was hosting the rebooted site. Parler said it would open up to new users next week.

Dig deeper: Read Megan Basham and Steve West’s report in The Stew about Parler’s dispute with Amazon.