Social network Gab goes offline after GoDaddy ultimatum about inciting violence

The social network Gab.com went offline after domain provider GoDaddy gave the company 24 hours to find shelter elsewhere. More companies have banned Gab after the Pittsburgh gunman was found to be spreading hateful messages via the platform.

Gab expects to be offline for weeks after several companies stopped providing services to the social network. Gab.com explains being ‘attacked’ by app stores, hosting companies and payment providers. Besides GoDaddy to block PayPal, Medium, payment platform Stripe and hosting company Joyent provide their services to the social network. “If a site allows it to express hatred, violence or discrimination, we take immediate action,” PayPal reports, for example. GoDaddy also cites statements promoting and inciting violence as the reason for the blockade.

According to Gab, there is a smear campaign, fueled by the mass media, because the social network stands up for freedom of expression. The platform received a lot of criticism last weekend after the shooting in the American Pittsburgh, in which the perpetrator killed 11 people in a synagogue. The man announced on Gab that he “can’t stand it any longer” and will take action. Gab reports to be working with authorities in the case.

After social media such as Facebook and Twitter crack down on hate speech, extremists are increasingly turning to alternative services. In Gab’s case, the service attracted many right-wing extremists and neo-Nazis. The service was founded in 2016 by a developer dissatisfied with Silicon Valley’s “left-wing censorship.”