‘Free speech social media’? Three questions about Parler.

Trust in Silicon Valley is low, with seven out of 10 Americans believing social media companies censor political viewpoints. Efforts by Twitter and Facebook to stem misinformation have inspired some conservative users to seek an alternative.

Launched in 2018, social media platform Parler markets itself as “the world’s premier free speech platform.” It first made headlines as a refuge for conservative provocateurs who had been banned from Twitter for violating that company’s terms of service. Now, in the wake of the election, millions of new users have joined Parler, pushing...