Parler app withdraws case against Amazon for pushing it offline over Capitol violence

Parler, the social media app popular among American right-wing activists, has dropped its case against Amazon.com Inc for cutting off its web-hosting services, court documents from late Tuesday showed.

The app went dark in January as many service providers pulled back support, accusing it of failing to police violent content related to the attack on the US Capitol, the nation's legislative seat, by followers of then-President Donald Trump.

Google removed the application from its Play Store and Apple from App Store.

Parler sued Amazon, accusing it of making an illegal, politically motivated decision to shut it down to benefit Twitter Inc.

A US judge rejected its demand that Amazon restore services for the platform later in January. A month later, Parler re-launched its services online and said the new platform was built on "sustainable, independent technology."

Amazon has said that Parler ignored repeated warnings to effectively moderate the growth of violent content on its website, including calls to assassinate prominent Democratic politicians, leading business executives and members of the media.

Parler, however, has said there was no evidence apart from anecdotes in the press that it had a role in inciting the riots in Capitol and argued that it was unfair to deprive millions of law-abiding Americans a platform for free speech.

The social network, launched in 2018, operates much like Twitter, with profiles people can follow and "parleys" instead of tweets. Freedom of expression is its declared raison d'etre.

Based in Henderson, Nevada, Parler was founded by John Matze, a young computer engineer, and Rebekah Mercer, a prominent Republican donor. 

In its early days, the platform attracted a crowd of ultra-conservative or even extreme-right users.

It now attracts many more traditional Republican voices.