Republican digital entrepreneurs are worried about themselves and their customers after major technology companies cracked down on prominent conservative websites and organizations.
Why it matters: Amazon’s decision to remove the popular conservative social media site Parler from its hosting services, and Twitter’s suspension of President Trump and tens of thousands of his supporters, have segments of the online rights for fear of being ‘deposed’ themselves.
What’s new: A handful of conservative digital professionals have virtually flocked to an email list they share this week. The tone was discouraged when, in a series of emails sent to Axios, they tried to figure out how to stay on the right side of the technology industry standards.
Between the lines: The repression has mainly focused on platforms where conspiracy theories have increased since Trump’s election loss, and in some cases, where Capitol violence was incited, encouraged and celebrated last week.
- But the digital strategists on the mailing list were convinced they would soon be caught up in an apparently looming wave of online censorship.
- They consider themselves arbitrary and politically motivated.
- “What is the threshold for knowing if a project is likely to start and close?” asks Colorado GOP strategist Allen Fuller. “Obviously, insurgency and violence are emerging, but the line is not there.”
- “It just comes down to where the left wants to draw the line, and at the moment they have no idea where the line is, nor do they seem to care,” said Thomas Peters, the founder and CEO of the peer -ms messages, written. software company RumbleUp.
Send the news: Trump’s permanent suspension from Twitter on Friday was seismic. But it was by no means the only platform to ban him.
- Its fans flock to rival platforms on social media that provide its political brand. The most popular of them, Parler, was suspended by Amazon’s AWS cloud service and now serves.
- GoDaddy launched the web’s most popular firearms forum, AR15.com, on Tuesday. The company told Axios that it has discovered content on the site that promotes and encourages violence. ”
For some conservatives, is the answer to staying as technologically self-sufficient as possible.
- Tom Elliott, a former radio producer who founded the television and video editing service Grabien, said his decision to build his own digital infrastructure behind the company is bearing fruit.
- “I have specifically avoided outsourcing contractor functions to outside technology vendors who are willing to be used on behalf of ‘social justice’ combat sessions,” Elliott said in an email to Axios.
Editor’s Note: This piece was updated with information on the mailing list, after it was accidentally cut during the editing process.