Gab offline following synagogue massacre

The Twitter alternative has gone offline and could fold after evidence the synagogue shooting accused peddled religious hatred on the site.

Gab’s future is uncertain after evidence surfaced the accused Pittsburgh synagogue shooter used the social media platform to spread religious hate. Picture: AFP

Twitter alternative Gab has gone offline and is fighting for survival after evidence that synagogue shooting accused Robert Bowers peddled religious hatred on the site.

In the US Bowers, 46, has been charged with killing 11 people and additionally faces hate crimes and firearm offences for the mass shooting at the Tree of Life building in Pittsburgh, in what is yet another mass rampage in the US.

The shooting has focused attention on Gab.com, a Twitter-like social network that is popular among right wing groups. Gab describes itself as “ a social network that champions free speech, individual liberty and the free flow of information online”. “All are welcome,” its home page says.

By adopting a welcome all approach, Gab has become a magnet for people banned from Twitter for violating its terms of service.

Bowers was a regular poster on Gab, saying just before the shooting: “HIAS likes to bring invaders in that kill our people. I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going in.”

HIAS describes itself as a global Jewish non-profit organisation that protects refugees. It was founded in 1881 as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society.

Gab has been quick to condemn the shooting, issuing a statement on its site. “Gab.com’s policy on terrorism and violence have always been very clear: we a (sic) have zero tolerance for it. Gab unequivocally disavows and condemns all acts of terrorism and violence,” the statement says.

But it has gone offline and faces an uncertain future with two payment platforms, hosting service Joyent, and most recently domain provider godaddy.com pulling the plug. Gab is accused of failing to act sooner against Bowers’ anti-Semitic posts.

Twitter alternative Gab.com has gone offline following criticism it did not take action earlier against the man accused of multiple killings at the Tree of Life building in Pittsburgh.

Gab’s homepage now carries a message saying it is offline. “Gab.com is under attack. We have been systematically no-platformed by App Stores, multiple hosting providers, and several payment processors,” the message says.

“We have been smeared by the mainstream media for defending free expression and individual liberty for all people and for working with law enforcement to ensure that justice is served for the horrible atrocity committed in Pittsburgh.

“Gab will continue to fight for the fundamental human right to speak freely.

“As we transition to a new hosting provider Gab will be inaccessible for a period of time. We are working around the clock to get Gab.com back online. Thank you and remember to speak freely.”

Paypal is one of the payments platforms that has suspended Gab. PayPal told The Verge: “The company is diligent in performing reviews and taking account actions. When a site is explicitly allowing the perpetuation of hate, violence or discriminatory intolerance, we take immediate and decisive action.”

Gab already had been frozen by another payments platform Stripe.

Gab, on its Twitter account, said that Joyent has pulled its service and Gab could be down for weeks as a result. “They have given us until 9am on Monday to find a solution. Gab will likely be down for weeks because of this. Working on solutions”.

Breaking: @joyent, Gab’s new hosting provider, has just pulled our hosting service. They have given us until 9am on Monday to find a solution. Gab will likely be down for weeks because of this. Working on solutions. We will never give up on defending free speech for all people. pic.twitter.com/YvnBOFoQQn

— Gab.com🍂 (@getongab) October 28, 2018

It later said it had found another hosting service.

But its CTO Ekrem Buyukkaya has announced he is quitting over the fallout. “I will no longer be working for Gab and serving as Gab’s CTO,” he writes on the platform. “The attacks from the American press have been relentless for two years now and have taken a toll on me personally. I wish Gab nothing but the best and will do everything I can to help them transition to a new CTO. “