Google pulls 'Parler' from its app store after Capitol violence

Google on Friday suspended the Parler social networking service from its app store, citing US President Donald Trump's posts inciting violence and mayhem at Capitol building.

"In order to protect user safety on Google Play, our longstanding policies require that apps displaying user-generated content have moderation policies and enforcement that removes egregious content like posts that incite violence," Google's official statement read, as reported by The Verge.

All developers agree to these terms and we have reminded Parler of this clear policy in recent months. We're aware of continued posting in the Parler app that seeks to incite ongoing violence in the US, it further said.

"We recognize that there can be reasonable debate about content policies and that it can be difficult for apps to immediately remove all violative content, but for us to distribute an app through Google Play, we do require that apps implement robust moderation for egregious content. In light of this ongoing and urgent public safety threat, we are suspending the app's listings from the Play Store until it addresses these issues," the statement concluded.

Both Google and Apple have come under pressure to remove the app, which is known for having less moderation and as a conservative-friendly alternative to other social media platforms, reported The Verge. The pressure comes two days after a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol, incited by President Trump.

Earlier, Facebook and instagram have banned Trump from using the platform for the remainder of his term as US President. Gaming platform Twitch and multimedia messaging app Snapchat too have disabled Trump's accounts. Several other digital platforms, like YouTube etc have imposed restrictions on him using their platforms.

( With inputs from ANI )