DALLAS (NEXSTAR) — If you check out Apple’s App Store on Monday, you’ll notice Parler is the most popular app in the country.
That has many wondering: What the heck is it?
Parler is a social media app that bills itself as a place of “free speech,” and it’s become particularly popular with conservatives following the presidential election — particularly since Facebook and Twitter started flagging untrue posts by President Donald Trump.
On Sunday, Parler owner Dan Bongino told the BBC his app was adding “thousands to users per minute.”
Newsweek reported the platform picked up about 2 million new users Sunday.
While Trump hasn’t yet joined the social platform, it includes top conservative names like Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz. Each already has more than 2 million followers on the platform.
Last week, Maria Bartiromo of Fox News said she planned to abandon Twitter and switch over to Parler after some of her updated were hidden.
Additionally, Newt Gingrich has been using his Twitter account as a promotional tool to try and get people to follow him over to Parler.
While you may not be familiar with Parler, it’s not brand new. The app launched in 2018 as an alternative to the more high-profile platforms. It’s pretty similar to Twitter. On Parler, posts can be replied to with comments and also “echoed” — which is similar to a retweet.
In the Apple App Store, Parler bills itself as, “non-biased, free speech social media focused on protecting user’s rights.” It notes you can create your own community to “control your social experience.”
The increase in popularity and traffic have created a few issues for the platform. On Sunday, users may have noticed slower-than-usual service. Parler reps say they’re working to address that.
