Censorship and Resistance in the Wake of Capitol Riots

After the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021, a wave of censorship swept through the American digital landscape. This wasn’t just the work of Big Tech, but there were internal pressures as well.

On January 9, Apple removed Parler from its App Store, and Google Play followed suit the same day. Just three days later, another platform I co-founded in 2020 also faced removal from both app stores while it was trending as a top download.

This situation extends beyond just app accessibility and privacy concerns. It’s really about who genuinely stands for freedom and who merely creates an illusion of it.

Interestingly, Apple reinstated Parler just two weeks later. Big Tech’s approach seems to encourage compliance while swiftly shutting down dissident platforms. Parler capitulated during a crucial time.

The infrastructure surrounding Parler wasn’t just poorly managed; it turned into a mechanism for monitoring. Creating an account on the platform required a government ID, which allowed easily accessible GPS metadata from user-uploaded content. This metadata was exploited to identify individuals around the Capitol during the riots.

The combination of IDs and GPS data essentially facilitated doxxing. Parler didn’t oppose government requests; it inadvertently did the job for them.

Wimkin: A Different Approach

Wimkin, in contrast, did not require user IDs and actively removed metadata to ensure user anonymity. However, we did everything correctly, yet Apple and Google still worked to undermine us during a period of significant growth.

Meanwhile, a secret surveillance unit from the U.S. Postal Service started monitoring Wimkin for potential “threats.” The message was pretty clear: Wimkin was now on the radar.

In an unexpected twist, Rep. Benny Thompson (D-Miss) issued orders for Wimkin to hand over its internal communications, a request we flatly rejected.

Wimkin ended up being one of the few platforms to take a stand. This is what the fight for true freedom looks like.

And what about the conservative influencers? Many so-called “free speech warriors” wouldn’t promote Wimkin unless compensated over $5,000 per post. They hailed Parler for its role in arrests but seemed disinterested in supporting a platform that genuinely resists federal pressure.

The Fight for Freedom

Wimkin wasn’t unprofitable; we faced targeted actions aimed at our shutdown. We incurred significant legal costs to safeguard our users and confront Congress, all while receiving minimal media coverage and institutional backing.

But despite it all, we stood firm. Now, Wimkin is listed on Nasdaq.

The entire situation is about more than just app stores and privacy concerns. It’s about who truly fights for freedom versus those who merely pretend to.

While Parler bowed to pressure, Wimkin stood its ground.