A social media platform which advertises itself as a “free speech” rival to Twitter has gone offline, after it emerged that the gunman detained at the scene of a mass shooting in a Pittsburgh synagogue propagated his anti-Semitic views on the site.
“The move comes as other companies including PayPal, Medium, Stripe, and Joyent blocked Gab over the weekend,” says The Verge.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Here’s how a little-known corner of the internet found itself at the centre of the news:
What is Gab?
Gab is a Twitter-style social media platform founded by entrepreneur Andrew Torba in 2016. Although its user base is small - around 800,000 active users compared to Twitter’s 336 million - it is “avid”, says CNN.
Crucially, unlike Twitter and other mainstream social media platforms, Gab only removes hateful content if it promotes violence. Users are otherwise free to express racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of bigotry.
Announcing its decision to stop hosting Gab, GoDaddy.com said the platform had “violated our terms of service” by allowing users to share “that both promotes and encourages violence against people”.
Why is it controversial?
Critics say that Gab’s no-limits ethos provides a dangerous platform for extremists like Robert Bowers, the man charged with murdering 11 people in Saturday’s attack, to spread their toxic ideology and fan the flames of intolerance.
Bowers was a keen user of the site, which he used to spread his anti-Semitic views. His final message - “Screw your optics, I’m going in” - was posted “moments before the murders”, says The Guardian.
The ability to post extremist content without fear of sanction has turned Gab into “an epicentre of extremely anti-Semitic and anti-black content, and conspiracy theories”, says Vox.
However, Gab’s owners insist that their service does not support any brand of political ideology, but simply exists to uphold the principles of total freedom of speech - which, they claim, is sorely lacking on existing platforms.
“We have been smeared by the mainstream media for defending free expression and individual liberty for all people,” the company said in a statement.
Will it be back?
After getting its marching orders from its web host, Gab appears to be struggling to find a new home. In addition, since the Pittsburgh shooting, “it has also been removed from app stores and refused service by payment processing firms”, CNN reports.
A statement posted on the Gab's website on Monday said it would be “inaccessible for a period of time”, but that the company is “working around the clock” to get the service back online.
In an email to Vox, site founder Andrew Torba insisted this was not the end of Gab. “We have plenty of options, resources, and support. We will exercise every possible avenue to keep Gab online and defend free speech and individual liberty for all people.”
-
October 13 editorial cartoonsCartoons Monday's political cartoons include Donald Trump's consolation prize, government workers during shutdown, and more
-
Can Gaza momentum help end the war in Ukraine?Today's Big Question Zelenskyy’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles hints at ‘warming relations’ between Ukraine and US
-
The Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners being releasedThe Explainer Triumphant Donald Trump addresses the Israeli parliament as families on both sides of the Gaza war reunite with their loved ones
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
Charlie Kirk, Jimmy Kimmel and free speechTalking Point TV host’s cancellation and Trump administration’s threats to media have led to accusations of Maga hypocrisy
-
Why Gen Z in Nepal is dying over a state social media banIN THE SPOTLIGHT A crackdown on digital platforms has pushed younger Nepalis into increasingly violent clashes with government forces
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
