Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Gab’s response to Senator Mark Warner
News.Gab.com ^ | January 9, 2021 | Andrew Torba

Posted on 01/09/2021 9:27:36 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum

To: Senator Tom Warner By e-mail

Dear Senator Warner,

Thank you for your letter dated 8th of January, 2021.

We do not comment on document preservation requests or specific communications with law enforcement, even where it would be convenient for public relations purposes to do so.

We have this policy in order to preserve the confidentiality of law enforcement investigations, and to encourage law enforcement to feel comfortable contacting us in emergency situations or to request the preservation of documents. We hope you will understand why we do not make an exception to this policy here.

You should be aware that we are routinely in contact with federal law enforcement to do our part to ensure the safety of the American people. In the past this has included, where relevant, contacting the FBI directly when we become aware of content which evidences a serious threat to life before federal law enforcement does.

We will action promptly any document preservation request we receive from federal law enforcement as and when it arrives. Per our policy we will not comment on specifics of what communications we may or may not have had in this regard. If you, your staff, and/or any other person are aware of specific content on our platform which is pertinent to this request, please contact federal law enforcement who will contact us.

By way of further background about our company, Gab exists to promote freedom of speech, by which we mean all speech which is protected speech under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. No more, no less.

Accordingly we have a zero-tolerance policy towards threats of violence and unlawful speech. As to controversial but nonetheless legal speech we believe, as Justice Brandeis did, that “sunlight is the best disinfectant, electric light the most efficient policeman.”

We have been boycotted by virtually every company in Silicon Valley because of our adherence to this moderation policy. In their zeal to bend to “woke” political agendas or outside pressure groups, our contemporaries in the Valley forget the social importance of letting off steam and of exposing bad ideas, and bad people, to public scrutiny.

As we are a free to use online publishing platform, it is inevitable that criminal actors will seek to abuse our services, as indeed they abuse all online services, including Facebook and Twitter. We work hard to ensure that our services are denied to these bad actors.

For example, in the lead-up to the inauguration, we were made aware of a number of accounts which sought to spread division and fear through the use of unlawful threats. All accounts of this type that have been discovered have been banned on discovery, including at least one account which published threats against a number of U.S. election officials and was the subject of significant media coverage, including media coverage which incorrectly stated that we failed to take action against the subject account.

The Valley’s ongoing boycott of our company makes the job of stopping bad actors considerably harder. We have written to Google, Microsoft, and other companies in the Valley to advise them that their shortsighted boycott – one motivated by partisan political considerations and pressure campaigns – has had the side effect of denying us access to technologies we need such as PhotoDNA.

We have also contacted industry consortia such as Tech Against Terrorism to try to explain our approach to content moderation. The industry’s response to our entreaties has been stone cold silence. So we forge on, alone, doing what we can and innovating as much as we can to keep our rapidly-growing corner of the Internet safe.

We are cognizant that, in the wake of this incident, the Democratic-controlled Senate is likely to examine regulating platforms such as our own. We strongly encourage you to not believe the vicious smears you might read about Gab which our partisan detractors in the media, who want to abolish American-style free speech, frequently publish. We care greatly about ensuring that our platform is not used for unlawful purposes.

Your reform efforts would be best focused on enacting measures that will make it easier for smaller tech platforms to communicate clearly with law enforcement in emergency situations, something which is currently done, at least in our case, by e-mail or online tip form, and to not focus on measures that would make it impossible to do business and ruin American competitiveness, such as potentially disastrous proposals to repeal or modify Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

We are confident that, as we grow, we will continue to improve our abilities to moderate our platform appropriately and provide data to law enforcement in a timely fashion while still respecting our users’ privacy rights, as well as providing what appears, after this week’s events on Twitter, to be the last place on the Internet where the First Amendment exists.

Yours sincerely

Andrew Torba CEO Gab.com


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bigtech; civilrights; gab; internet; technotyranny

1 posted on 01/09/2021 9:27:36 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

Really hope they don’t get squashed like a bug.


2 posted on 01/09/2021 9:32:24 PM PST by Delta 21 (Get off your ass and earn it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

[Your reform efforts would be best focused on enacting measures that will make it easier for smaller tech platforms to communicate clearly with law enforcement in emergency situations, something which is currently done, at least in our case, by e-mail or online tip form, and to not focus on measures that would make it impossible to do business and ruin American competitiveness, such as potentially disastrous proposals to repeal or modify Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. ]


I’m OK with zapping Section 230 for corporations with revenues above $1b, to be indexed for inflation.


3 posted on 01/09/2021 9:35:30 PM PST by Zhang Fei (My dad had a Delta 88. That was a car. It was like driving your living room.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

This is all an insane inquisition against all things touching upon the rally.

Sadly at this dangerous moment we have pathetic political hacks who know nothing rather than principled leaders.

These idiots may bring about the CW2 which I had thought was a silly notion. They are crossing lines which make me fear for this country.


4 posted on 01/09/2021 9:36:02 PM PST by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

i’ve seen this too. other than his being a block-head on 230, imo, it’s not a bad letter.


5 posted on 01/09/2021 9:39:25 PM PST by dadfly
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

Maybe “Senator” Mark Warner would like to talk to me about the female employees he herded, after an alcohol-drenched dinner w/ his business partners and these female employees, onto his private jet to Las Vegas from Reagan National.

I was there. I kept a young lady from getting on that plane. She thanked me for it.

He’s a disgusting scumbag.

Oh, and then there’s Joe Biden grabbing my wife’s ass during a photo shoot at the White House in 2012. I have a photo. “Dr” Jill saw it.

I’ve discussed these events before on FR, just reiterating that they happened.

Affadivit duly submitted.


6 posted on 01/09/2021 9:40:53 PM PST by nicollo (I said no!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Delta 21

“...Really hope they don’t get squashed like a bug...”

Yep...me too.
They’re trying very hard to keep it between the lines.
But being a primarily conservative-based site, they’ll probably be squashed.


7 posted on 01/09/2021 9:41:23 PM PST by lgjhn23 (Pray for America....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: nicollo

Maybe “Senator” Mark Warner would like to talk to me about the female employees he herded, after an alcohol-drenched dinner w/ his business partners and these female employees, onto his private jet to Las Vegas from Reagan National.

I was there. I kept a young lady from getting on that plane. She thanked me for it.

He’s a disgusting scumbag.

Oh, and then there’s Joe Biden grabbing my wife’s ass during a photo shoot at the White House in 2012. I have a photo. “Dr” Jill saw it.

We are lorded over by our moral inferiors.


8 posted on 01/09/2021 9:49:20 PM PST by Flick Lives
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Flick Lives

Exactly.

But I do not bow to them.


9 posted on 01/09/2021 9:54:59 PM PST by nicollo (I said no!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

Torba is very impressive.


10 posted on 01/09/2021 10:40:07 PM PST by Tom in SFCA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

The Leftists are acting very paranoid after their supposed election victory. Definitely not the behavior expected of winners.


11 posted on 01/09/2021 11:34:45 PM PST by semaj (Death to Traitors)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

Warner, the very example of a quish POS as the Democrats have in the Senate. “Sleepy” is ethically and professionally and morally corrupt. PERIOD.

While digging through old file boxes last night I came across the following Wash. Post article, March 25, 2003, which says a lot about this so-called “man”.

“Warner Vetoes Repeal of Estate Tax: Governor Takes Exception to anti-abortion Measures”, R. H. Melton, WP Staff writer.

March 24, Richmond: “Democratic Gov. Mark R. Warner today vetoed a proposed estate tax repeal that the general Assembly Republicans championed this legislative election year despite Virginia’s persistent state budget crisis” (Wonder who created this “crisis”? WP never seems to want to tell us it was Democrat overspending/fiscal irresponsibility).

“Warner also vetoed a bill authorizing the state to issue a “Choose Life” license plate, which abortion opponents had won over the protests of abortion rights advocates and others who complained about the message” (Free Speech anyone? - MM). In addition, Warner returned measures on certain late-term abortions and parental consent for minors’ abortion to the legislature with proposed amendments”.

Warner, the “Coward of the State” and always has been.


12 posted on 01/09/2021 11:35:10 PM PST by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tom in SFCA

Gab is a great place to unwind. Love the memes!


13 posted on 01/10/2021 1:31:42 AM PST by Slyfox (Not my circus, not my monkeys )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: nicollo
Dr. Jill has been clamoring to be First Lady for years.

She knows who she is married to.

14 posted on 01/10/2021 1:33:30 AM PST by Slyfox (Not my circus, not my monkeys )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

Mark Warner SHOULD be in PRISON, if we only had a NON-CORRUPTED Justice system.


15 posted on 01/10/2021 5:02:15 AM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Slyfox

Dr. Jill has been clamoring to be First Lady for years.
......................
That’s her wet dream, sleep in the Lincoln bedroom.
FLOTUS...
OhOH OH AHhhhhhh


16 posted on 01/10/2021 5:33:27 AM PST by Vinnie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: semaj

The Leftists are acting very paranoid after their supposed election victory. Definitely not the behavior expected of winners.>>. I don’t think this is paranoia. It is real fear. of what, i don’t know but they are very afraid.


17 posted on 01/10/2021 5:59:49 AM PST by kvanbrunt2 (spooks won on day 76)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: kvanbrunt2

they are scared of trying to “rule’ a nation where at best, their candidates-Biden-Harris received 30-35 million votes.

their fear betrays the weakness of their position-for they recognize the extent of violence-political and physical-required to secure it in the absence of real support.

This is very important for patriots to comprehend


18 posted on 01/10/2021 6:02:45 AM PST by mo ("If you understand, no explanation is needed; if you don't understand, no explanation is possible)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

I tried to sign up, but you have to download something called “auth.” Is it safe?


19 posted on 01/10/2021 6:08:52 AM PST by djpg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson