Parler reappears online with message from CEO: 'We will not let civil discourse perish!'

Parler — the social media platform popular with conservatives as a "free speech" alternative to Twitter — reappeared online Sunday after Amazon Web Services booted it offline a week ago, the Hill reported.

What are the details?

There's only a single screen with text and nowhere to navigate, but it's more than the completely blank page users saw for the last several days.

"Hello world, is this thing on?" Parler CEO John Matze asks in a screenshot of what appears to be Parler post.

Then under the heading "Technical Difficulties," a message reads as follows:

Now seems like the right time to remind you all — both lovers and haters — why we started this platform. We believe privacy is paramount and free speech essential, especially on social media. Our aim has always been to provide a nonpartisan public square where individuals can enjoy and exercise their rights to both.

We will resolve any challenge before us and plan to welcome all of you back soon. We will not let civil discourse perish!

What's the background?

Following U.S. Capitol rioting Jan. 6, social media sites began banning conservatives and conservative groups, including President Donald Trump. Parler was no exception — and Amazon last weekend told Parler it would suspend it from Amazon Web Services' hosting servers.

"Recently, we've seen a steady increase in this violent content on your website, all of which violates our terms. It's clear that Parler does not have an effective process to comply with the AWS terms of service," Amazon said in an email to Parler, BuzzFeed News reported.

"[W]e cannot provide services to a customer that is unable to effectively identify and remove content that encourages or incites violence against others," the email added. "Because Parler cannot comply with our terms of service and poses a very real risk to public safety, we plan to suspend Parler's account effective Sunday, January 10th, at 11:59PM PST."

Then Amazon pulled the trigger. As did Google and Apple. And Parler went dark.

A day after Amazon took down the platform, Parler announced it is suing Amazon for antitrust violations, breach of contract, and unlawful business interference.

On Tuesday Parler registered its domain and server with Epik, an Internet solutions company described by Vice as the "the internet savior of the far-right" since it also hosts Gab, another social media alternative that Big Tech loves to hate.

Matze also said last week he'd received death threats after Parler was taken down.