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Gab (social network)

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Gab
File:Official Gab Social Network Logo.png
Type of site
Social networking service
Available inEnglish
Headquarters
Austin, Texas
,
United States[1]
OwnerGab AI, Inc.
IndustryInternet
URLgab.ai
RegistrationRequired
Users215,000+[2]
Current statusActive (available for open registration on May 2017)
Written inPHP

Gab is an Austin, Texas-based[1] social networking service created as an alternative to social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Reddit. It allows its users to read and write messages of up to 300 characters, called "gabs". The site also offers multimedia functionality. Gab describes its mission as putting "people and free speech first".[5]

History

Gab was created in August 2016[6] as an alternative to social networks like Facebook and Twitter.[7] Founder and CEO Andrew Torba cited dissatisfaction with "the entirely left-leaning Big Social monopoly"[7] as part of the inspiration for Gab, which he created "after reading reports that Facebook employees suppress conservative articles".[8] Torba said in November that the site's user base had expanded significantly following censorship controversies involving major social media companies,[9] including the permanent suspensions from Twitter of several prominent alt-right accounts.[10]

In December 2016, Gab.io's submission of its app to the iOS App Store was declined by Apple. Apple cited pornographic content as the reason. At the same time, Twitter also cut-off access to its API without specifying a reason.[11][12] A resubmitted version of the app which blocked pornography by default was also rejected for violating Apple's rules on hate speech.[13]

After 9 months of closed beta testing, as of May 2017 the site is open to anyone registering with an email.[14]

On July 24, 2017, Torba announced that the site had 2,200 Pro users, following an announcement two days before that Pro subscriptions would solely fund the cost of running the service.[15]

On August 1, 2017, Gab TV, a video streaming service for members, opened up for Pro members to create their own Periscope-like video streaming channels.[16] According to Andrew Torba, the site was hit with a DDoS attack soon afterwards.[17]

On August 17, 2017, Google removed Gab's app from the Google Play Store for violating its policy against hate speech.[12] Google stated that the app did not "demonstrate a sufficient level of moderation, including for content that encourages violence and advocates hate against groups of people."[18]

Revenue

Gab doesn't use advertising. The site began offering a premium subscription service for Gab named "Gab Pro" in April 2017. Gab Pro has a monthly option for $5.99 a month. The subscription allows users to have private chats for up to 25 people, which was later added for all users with two users maximum and Gab Pro with 50 maximum. Messages are deleted after 24 hours. Gab Pro subscribers can also view a topic breakdown for other users, make lists of users to sort their home feed, stream on GabTV (Gab's livestreaming service), and more easily get their profile verified. Subscribers also get a "PRO" badge next to their posts. In July 2017 Gab also started an investment project which met its goal of $1.07 Million on 19 August 2017.[19][unreliable source?]

On August 15, 2017 Torba announced plans for its own cryptocurrency, expecting Gab to be subject to "blacklisting" by third-party payment processors.[20]

Design

Gab's color theme is a minimalist combination of black text on white panels with pink hashtags and usernames. Pro users have a contrasted top bar in dark blue closer to that of Facebook. The interface "behaves like a Twitter-Reddit hybrid",[10] displaying messages in a Twitter-like vertically-scrolling timeline format with a Reddit-like option to upvote or downvote each post. The site also aggregates popular posts and trending topic hashtags.[9][10][21] Users can sort comments and posts in a subject by time or score.

When writing a gab, Gabbers can post up to 300 characters of plain text.[9] Additional functionality is similar to Twitter, using # to create hashtags and @ to reference other users by username. Gabs can embed some multimedia, currently limited to emoji, photo upload, and Giphy animated GIFs. In addition, hyperlinks can be embedded, with some content such as YouTube videos displaying a thumbnail preview.

Each Gab account can optionally be linked to a Twitter account for cross-posting, which can be enabled or disabled before a gab is published. When enabled, the gab is tweeted up to around the first 100 characters, along with a link to the gab.

In July 2017, Gab implemented a system where people who downvoted others (through spamming) would have their account downvoted too and their ability to leave downvotes revoked.[22][23][24][25] Downvotes have since been completely removed.[26]

A frog named "Gabby"[8] is the current logo of Gab. Torba has said that the frog logo was inspired by Bible verses (Exodus 8:1-8:12 and Psalms 78:45) and various other traditional symbolic meanings. The logo has been compared to Pepe the Frog, a cartoon character commonly used as a meme by the alt-right.[8][27]

Criticism

The site has drawn criticism for providing a platform for users banned or suspended from other services for violating their terms of service,[10] including former Breitbart writer Milo Yiannopoulos,[28] Tila Tequila (a reality television personality who gained notoriety for rendering a Nazi salute at a white nationalist event),[9] white nationalists such as Richard B. Spencer,[6][8] and anonymous Twitter user "Ricky Vaughn".[8][10] Andrew Torba, the CEO of Gab.ai, was himself removed from the Y Combinator alumni network because of harassment concerns.[29][30]

It has been called the "Twitter for racists" by Salon,[27] and was described as "hate-filled echo chamber of racism and conspiracy theories" by Andrew Anthony writing for The Guardian.[31] An editorial in Wired criticised Gab for not explicitly prohibiting hate speech.[21] The only restrictions on expression on the site are on threats of violence, promotion of terrorism, illegal pornography and doxing.[5] Torba has denied that Gab is "designed specifically for conservatives"[9] and has stated that "we welcome everyone and always will".[6] He has further said that "We want everyone to feel safe on Gab, but we're not going to police what is hate speech and what isn't".[21]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Interview with Andrew Torba from Gab.ai". youtube.com. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  2. ^ "Happy Birthday, Gab: Announcing Our Plans For An ICO". 2017-07-01. Retrieved 2017-08-15.
  3. ^ Charlie Nash (2016-08-23). "Meet the CEO of Gab, The Free Speech Alternative to Twitter". Retrieved 2016-08-25.
  4. ^ "gab.ai Traffic Statistics". Alexa Internet. Amazon.com. September 11, 2017. Retrieved 2017-09-11.
  5. ^ a b "Guidelines. | Gab". gab.ai. Retrieved 2016-12-03.
  6. ^ a b c Wilson, Jason (2016-11-17). "Gab: alt-right's social media alternative attracts users banned from Twitter". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-12-03.
  7. ^ a b "This New Social Network Promises Almost-Total Free Speech To Its Users". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 2016-12-03.
  8. ^ a b c d e Hess, Amanda (2016-11-30). "The Far Right Has a New Digital Safe Space". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-12-03.
  9. ^ a b c d e Shaw, Adam (2016-11-28). "As Twitter cracks down on alt-right, aggrieved members flee to 'Gab'". Fox News. Retrieved 2016-12-03.
  10. ^ a b c d e Ohlheiser, Abby (2016-11-29). "Banned from Twitter? This site promises you can say whatever you want". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-12-03.
  11. ^ Rodriguez, Salvador (December 15, 2016). "Gab, the Alt-Right's Favorite Social Network, Gets Rejections From Apple, Twitter". Inc.com. Retrieved 2017-09-07.
  12. ^ a b Rob Price (18 August 2017). "Google's app store has banned Gab — a social network popular with the far-right — for 'hate speech'". Business Insider UK. Retrieved 2017-08-18.
  13. ^ Lee, Timothy B. (August 18, 2017). "Google explains why it banned the app for Gab, a right-wing Twitter rival". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2017-09-07.
  14. ^ "New social site Gab is getting popular with the 'alt-right'". Engadget. Retrieved 2016-12-03.
  15. ^ "Announcement from Andrew Torba's Gab account on number of Pro Users".
  16. ^ "Announcement from Andrew Torba's Gab account".
  17. ^ "Announcement from Andrew Torba's Gab account".
  18. ^ Coldewey, Devin (17 August 2017). "Alt-social network Gab booted from Google Play Store for hate speech". Techcrunch. Retrieved 2017-08-18.
  19. ^ "Gab". StartEngine. Retrieved 2017-07-12.
  20. ^ "Happy Birthday, Gab: Announcing Our Plans For An ICO 🐸🎂". medium.com. Retrieved 2017-09-16.
  21. ^ a b c Ellis, Emma Grey. "Gab, the Alt-Right's Very Own Twitter, Is The Ultimate Filter Bubble". WIRED. Retrieved 2016-12-03.
  22. ^ "Andrew Torba on Gab". Retrieved 2017-07-12.
  23. ^ "Andrew Torba on Gab". Retrieved 2017-07-12.
  24. ^ "Gab HQ on Gab". Retrieved 2017-07-12.
  25. ^ "Ekrem Büyükkaya on Gab". Retrieved 2017-07-12.
  26. ^ "Andrew Torba on Gab: "Hey folks,We have removed the downvote button. F..."". gab.ai. Retrieved 2017-09-16.
  27. ^ a b Benson, Thor. "Inside the "Twitter for racists": Gab — the site where Milo Yiannopoulos goes to troll now". Salon. Retrieved 2016-12-03.
  28. ^ Heil, Emily (2016-11-22). "Tila Tequila's Twitter account suspended after appearance at white nationalist convention". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
  29. ^ Ha, Anthony. "Pro-Trump CEO gets booted from Y Combinator over harassment concerns | TechCrunch". Retrieved 2017-06-05.
  30. ^ "Trump-Supporting CEO Kicked Out Of Y Combinator Startup Incubator". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 2017-06-05.
  31. ^ "Inside the hate-filled echo chamber of racism and conspiracy theories". The Guardian. 2016-12-17. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
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