Social Network Parler Terminates CEO John Matze - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th February, 2021) Parler has dismissed CEO John Matze in the wake of the Big Tech crackdown that saw the US social network popular with ex-President Donald Trump supporters go offline, Fox news reported, citing a memo that the former executive sent to staffers.

"On January 29, 2021, the Parler board controlled by [top Republican donor] Rebekah Mercer decided to immediately terminate my position as CEO of Parler. I did not participate in this decision," Matze wrote, as quoted by the channel on Wednesday.

The ex-CEO added that that over the past few months he had been met with "constant resistance" to his original vision for the media platform and his "strong belief in free speech.

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According to Matze, the future of Parler is no longer in his hands, and he is going to search for a new venture.

In the wake of the January 6 Capitol riot, Google, Apple and Amazon suspended their services to Parler after accusing it of falling to act on calls for violence. Parler has since been down. Matze worked to relaunch it, hoping to do that by February, but things were delayed.

In mid-January, Matze said that he had gone into hiding with his family over death threats and personal security breaches that they have faced after the Big Tech purge of his social network.