A quiet social media alternative
Parler is a social application that offers a non-biased, free-speech platform for its users. It allows users to speak their mind without the fear of being de-platformed for their views. More than that, it allows you to customize your experience by moderating your feed. With this, you can decide what you want to see and who you want to interact with. However, following influencers can be a bit difficult as it is more hashtag-centric than popular social media apps of today.
Parler vs Twitter
At first glance, Parler seems to be very much like Twitter, with a few features from Facebook and Reddit mashed in. Like these popular platforms, the app allows users to share their thoughts on various topics. You can also follow other users, tag those users in a post, and upvote posts you like. You can even "echo"—the equivalent of a "retweet"—the content posted. However, if you are a long-time Twitter user, be prepared for a steep learning curve. While the app is similar design-wise, some unique functions may leave you confused and even bored.
As noted, this app calls for heavier use of hashtags than Twitter and can feel more like Tumblr. Unlike the hashtags in Twitter—which is mostly for boosting your posts—the hashtags in this app have more use. For one, the app’s search function only returns users and hashtags. For you to find a user, you need to use the appropriate hashtag. Considering the number of tags one might use, this makes the hunt for a user to be more difficult.
This app also quadruples Twitter’s character limit, allowing you to elaborate your posts up to 1,000 characters. However, for a social network that promotes free-speech, this app has strict rules when it comes to posting. You cannot share posts promoting pornography, marijuana, and obscenity. You also cannot post content that promotes false rumors. The app is even stricter than Twitter and Facebook, as it bans users who break the rules instead of simply adding a warning label.
A promising new platform
Like any new platform, Parler is promising. It provides users with a means to share their views. Moreover, it has unique features—such as content moderation—that allows you to customize your use. However, there are a few usability issues and limitations that needed patching up for it to rank well among the social media apps of today.
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