Parler unwilling to remove content inciting ‘the rape, torture, and assassination of named public officials’: Amazon

On Tuesday, Amazon Web Services filed its response to a lawsuit from right-wing social network Parler, which spent the last several days in limbo after having its web hosting canceled, and is trying to allege Amazon is threatening free speech.

In its filing, however, Amazon made clear that Parler was allowing the incitement of criminal conduct on its platform.

"This case is not about suppressing speech or stifling viewpoints. It is not about a conspiracy to restrain trade," said the filing. "Instead, this case is about Parler's demonstrated unwillingness and inability to remove from the servers of Amazon Web Services ('AWS') content that threatens the public safety, such as by inciting and planning the rape, torture, and assassination of named public officials and private citizens. There is no legal basis in AWS's customer agreements or otherwise to compel AWS to host content of this nature."

"AWS notified Parler repeatedly that its content violated the parties' agreement, requested removal, and reviewed Parler's plan to address the problem, only to determine that Parler was both unwilling and unable to do so," noted the filing. "AWS suspended Parler's account as a last resort to prevent further access to such content, including plans for violence to disrupt the impending Presidential transition."

Read the full filing here.