Established in 2016 by Andrew Torba and Ekrem Büyükkaya, Gab is a social media platform predominantly used by far-right individuals, including those banned from other social networks. The platform encompasses a range of features such as posts, private conversations, groups, and live streaming, in addition to services like email[2], cloud storage, and advertising[1]. Despite its functionality, Gab has been embroiled in numerous controversies, primarily due to its supposed ties to radicalization and real-world aggression. Financial difficulties and data breaches have also plagued the platform. Nevertheless, Gab continues to operate, resorting to cryptocurrency payment processing after being shunned by traditional payment processors.
Gab is an American alt-tech microblogging and social networking service known for its far-right userbase. Widely described as a haven for neo-Nazis, racists, white supremacists, white nationalists, antisemites, the alt-right, supporters of Donald Trump, conservatives, right-libertarians, and believers in conspiracy theories such as QAnon, Gab has attracted users and groups who have been banned from other social media platforms and users seeking alternatives to mainstream social media platforms. Founded in 2016 and launched publicly in May 2017, Gab claims to promote free speech, individual liberty, the "free flow of information online", and Christian values. Researchers and journalists have characterized these assertions as an obfuscation of its extremist ecosystem. Antisemitism is prominent in the site's content and the company itself has engaged in antisemitic commentary. Gab CEO Andrew Torba has promoted the white genocide conspiracy theory. Gab is based in Pennsylvania.
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Type of site | Microblogging, Social networking service |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Headquarters | 700 North State Street, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania ,U.S. |
| Founder(s) | Andrew Torba, CEO Ekrem Büyükkaya, CTO |
| CEO | Andrew Torba |
| Industry | Internet |
| Services | Gab, Gab AI, Gab News, Gab TV, Gab Chat, Gab Ads, Gab Trends, GabPro, Dissenter (web browser), Dissenter (browser extension) |
| URL | gab |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Registration | Required to post |
| Users | 100,000 (estimated active) 5 million (total) as of 2022[update] |
| Launched | August 15, 2016 (private beta) May 8, 2017 (open registration) July 4, 2019 (switch to customized Mastodon fork and relaunched) |
| Current status | Active |
Researchers note that Gab has been "repeatedly linked to radicalization leading to real-world violent events". The site received extensive public scrutiny following the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting in October 2018. The perpetrator of the attack, Robert Gregory Bowers, had a history of making extreme, antisemitic postings on the platform, as well as messages indicating an immediate intent to cause harm before the shooting. After the shooting, Gab briefly went offline when it was dropped by its hosting provider and denied service by several payment processors. In 2021, Gab was among the platforms used to plan the United States Capitol attack on January 6. Also in 2021, Gab suffered from a data breach called "GabLeaks".
Gab's functionality is similar to that of Twitter. Users of Gab can publish posts, initiate private chats, join groups, livestream and buy products. The company also maintains an email service, cloud service, text messaging service, advertisement sales system, server farm, marketplace website, news aggregation website, advertising platform, video-conferencing platform, blog, video hosting, web browser, and browser extension to allow commenting on third-party websites. In July 2019, Gab switched its software infrastructure to a fork of Mastodon, a free and open-source social network platform. Mastodon released a statement in protest, denouncing Gab as trying to "monetize and platform racist content while hiding behind the banner of free speech".
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