Gab.ai 2 Year Review
- My experience w/Gab over the first two years follows.
Recently, Gab acquired the .com domain extension and switched to Gab.com as its' main access point. As of late yesterday (10-28-2018), after the attack on the Jewish Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Gabs registrar (GoDaddy) and it's server host de-platformed Gabs presence on the internet and Gab is temporarily down.
The cause for this was the fact that the 'alleged' shooter in Pittsburgh had an account on the Gab platform and had made some anti-Jewish / anti-Trump posts, the last of which stated that he was 'going in'. I'm of the opinion that Gab had no way of knowing that he specifically meant 'going in' to a religious place of worship and murdering innocent people. Though, that seems to be the consensus of the MSM and Gabs service providers apparently. You'll note along these same lines, that not one of Facebooks, Twitters or any other platforms services providers have done the same to them when they've had outright terrorist threats on their platforms, even live video feeds of such in some instances.
Using GoDaddy as a registrar for the .com domain was a mistake in my opinion, but this certainly isn't the first miss-step and will most assuredly not be the last.
Gab is basically a labor of love supported by those who use the platform and has run into technical 'blockades/barriers' from very early on. BigTech sees Gab as a threat to their narrative control and with that in mind, I think it can be expected that they will continue to lie about the platform. Gab has suffered shills, trolls, porn-bots and script-runners from the very beginning and it will remain in constant battle with these just like any other social media platform.
From Antifa to MGTOW to Nazis, you'll find extreme views on Gab because Gab is dedicated to free speech and the free flow of information. Where Gab draws the line is in the legalities of those free speech rights, meaning they follow the law. This aspect of Gab is clearly stated within their Terms Of Service agreement and Guidelines. Which is why upon the very instant of discovering the shooters profile on the platform, Gab did the right thing and immediately contacted authorities. So, with that in mind here's a free tip; it's illegal to make terroristic threats online and if you do so, you should expect to be reported for such to the proper authorities. Terms of Service and rule of law matter, so don't fail to be informed of such things. Ignorance is no excuse. Bottom line, you are responsible for what you say (text, meme etc.) online according to the laws.
In the wake of all this yesterday Gab also parted ways (amicably) with CoFounder and CTO Ekrem. I'm saddened by this, mainly because he went over two years worth of sleepless nights and constant coding all by himself to make the platform happen. I can however, understand his position. We all get burned out occasionally. Best wishes to you Ekrem, I hope you find some solace and peace in knowing that you were/are a very large part of what Gab will eventually become. Much respect to you and the part you've played!
Gab gives users of the platform the tools to 'ignore' other users via a 'mute' feature, but I've never been one to go through life with blinders on. Situational awareness is always a good thing in my opinion, it's good to know what the indoctrinated are currently up to in their endeavors to silence those who don't agree with their narrative. I've learned much about their tactics just by observance and never even had much interaction other than allowing them to follow me and following a few back. Occasionally, I've even been enlightened to things I was unaware of before their posts were included in my feed.
Then there's the drama from those who basically seek nothing more than e-celeb status. Much as in real life, there are those on Gab who deem themselves worthy of and require everyone else's approval. My advice; grace their presence with your absence. Contrary to the belief of some, life doesn't require daily crisis.
I came to Gab 2 years ago because it was during my work 'off-season' (read deer season) and I was bored. I've never had a FB or DirtyBird account, but I decided Gab was a better option and requested an invite. I'm an old school self taught and formally educated coder, though when I came to Gab I hadn't coded anything in almost two years. Gab presented challenges, so I dove in and the rest is history.
Review conclusion;
- Gab gets 5/5 stars for effort and persistence in the face of BigTech.
- Andrew Torba and family/staff are indeed true American Patriots.
- Real #GabFam are some of the most caring people you'll ever meet.
- God is with Gab
- Gab will prevail
Stay strong GabFam, this is just a new beginning!