Parler 101: How to Use the Free Speech Social Media Platform

A top to bottom unofficial guide for everyone

Composition by the author

Whether you’re new to Parler, or never took the time to study what’s under the hood, you’re not alone. Now hosting more than 8 million member accounts, Parler is one of the fastest-growing social media networks. As an active user — I don’t discuss politics online, but embrace the First Amendment — I can attest that while the majority of Parler members are conservatives, plenty simply want less noise.

If you’re familiar with Facebook and Twitter, though, Parler has a learning curve. Here, I’ll walk you through all the features, and provide tips on getting the most out of your experience.

• This guide will update frequently as Parler introduces new features. New information added after first publication will be referenced in the footer.

A little history

Parler launched in August 2018 as a non-partisan free-speech social media platform. A slow-growing network, it took about a year to cross the 200,000 user threshold. In late June 2020, when Twitter banned Carpe Donktum and Raheem Kassam, #parler started trending. By July 2nd, Parler had 2 million users. Parler reportedly processed 1.5 million user accounts in the second week of July.

Contrary to popular belief, Parler never sought to become a platform for conservatives. A previously offered “progressive bounty” of $20,000 offered to liberal pundits with at least 50,000 followers on Twitter or Facebook had not been claimed.

During the 2020 Presidential Election cycle, major social media networks filtered or labeled content based on loose algorithms. Voters across the US expressed frustration and sought out alternative platforms, primary MeWe and Parler. Within days of the election, Parler had reached #1 in app stores and doubled its member count.

Politics not required

Despite a prominent number of conservatives flocking to Parler, plenty of non-political folks also use the platform. These include creators, business owners, athletes, and others who simply want less noise and fewer rules.