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AUSTIN, Texas, August 25, 2017 (LifeSiteNews) — With Facebook and Twitter increasingly clamping down on Christians and social conservatives, a social network is gaining ground to take their place.
“Free Speech” social media “Gab” intends to offer an alternative to popular sites that censor posts.
The company set up a web page to raise a “legal fund” to tackle politically correct censorship. “We seek to offer to the market a free speech-friendly alternative to the authoritarian pro-censorship offering of established technology oligopolies,” the web page reads.
Gab founder and CEO Andrew Torba grew so frustrated with the “left-leaning Big Social monopoly” that he decided to start a new social media network in 2016.
Many pro-lifers and others have expressed exasperation as well. Catholic sites were shut down, abortion photographs were banned, comments critical of sodomy were edited out, morally focused ads were taken down, and other conservative posts were disallowed or entire organizations were kicked out of Facebook and Twitter.
“As a conservative Christian who ran a technology business in Silicon Valley, I experienced the censorship and suppression of speech firsthand,” Torba explained to LifeSiteNews. “From day one, Gab has had the mission of defending free expression for all, bringing back individual liberty, and putting people first.”
“We welcome everyone to shape their own experience and to speak freely,” he added.
Torba's company was met with open arms by conservatives across the nation. “Our company was profitable during its first year of operation and recently raised $1 million in an equity crowdfunding campaign to expand the core team and grow the business,” the website said.
Users say Gab's immediate success proves Torba is not far off when he characterizes the tech industry as “totalitarian.”
Unlike Facebook and Twitter, Gab refuses to censor users' comments or views. The only restrictions Gab puts on communications are threats of violence, promotion of terrorism, illegal pornography and doxing (publishing private or identifying information about someone).
Gab does allow users to filter content they see and read, such as muting curse words or blocking other users.
Gab is not specific about what their legal fund will be used for. “We’re ramping up for decisive action on the legal front,” the fundraising webpage says. “We are already actively talking to counsel. Naturally we can’t disclose much about those chats, but they’re very interesting!”
Torba was a bit clearer with Breitbart, telling them the legal fund “will be used to directly explore any and all legal options against the anti-competitive actions of the Silicon Valley oligopoly.”
The CEO noted Google Play and Apple App have accused Gab of “hate speech” and “objectionable” content and removed Gab from its store. “This should come as no surprise to anyone paying attention,” he concluded.
“The Silicon Valley ideological echo chamber is real,” Torba said. “They have chosen to not support a free and open internet.”
Originally funded by donations, Gab is now financially sustained by “Gab Pro” members. Its fundraising campaign reached $1 million last week.
“Politically correct corporate morality policing and anti-competitive behavior must end,” the website demanded, giving supporters a link to donate.
“The free market exists precisely for issues like this, but with a duopoly controlling 95 percent of mobile device distribution (both software side and hardware) it becomes impossible to fairly compete.”
Anticipating being “blacklisted” by online donation sites, Gab is now developing its own cryto-currency.
Gab has also been opposed by many in the mainstream media. Salon characterized the social media as “Twitter for racists” in spite of the fact that Gab's co-founder with Torba is Kurdish (and Muslim) and the company's communications officer is Indian (and Hindu).