Posted on 10/28/2018 8:59:45 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
Once known as the new frontier of free speech, the internet seemed destined to be one place on the planet where ideas could be freely expressed, and thoughts could be challenged in open debate. But no more. The unfiltered, Twitter-esque social media platform GAB a messaging board where censorship does not rule is about to be tossed to the wolves.
In the wake of the horrific mass murder at a Pittsburgh, PA, synagogue, the web hosting company that provided GABs platform has decided to pull the plug, claiming an unspecified breach of the Joyent Terms of Service. Given little more than one day of notice, GAB has until the morning of Monday, October 29, to relocate its entire operation to a new platform, with a new provider.
PayPal has also cut ties with GAB. A surprising move considering Facebook has in the past had users live stream actual murders on its platform, yet faced no backlash from the digital pay gateway.
Publishers The alleged killer at the Tree of Life Synagogue, Robert Bowers, had posted numerous anti-Semitic sentiments on his GAB feed. Being a company that advertises itself as a haven for free speech, censorship has only rarely reared its ugly head at GAB. Unlike the social media platforms main competitor, Twitter where censorship of content is ubiquitous users are largely left to their own devices and are free to post whatever they please.
Joyent, GABs current web host, has taken a step that will have the delegates of political correctness exulting in faux righteousness. By moving to control what speech can and cannot be expressed via their hosting service, the company has become a publisher rather than just a provider of electronic space. This is the thin end of the wedge for companies that provide space for content creators; calls for Facebook, Google, and other tech monopolies to follow suit will soon be on the way.
Virtual Masters Yesterday it was Alex Jones, today it is GAB, tomorrow it will be any soul who dares to dream of a world where people can communicate freely.
Many people will be asking themselves: Didnt Bowers have Facebook and Twitter accounts? And the answer is yes. So why is it that Internet Service Providers are not looking to shut down these online behemoths? Simply, because Google, Facebook, Twitter, et al., are their own hosts. These companies are so big that they do not rely on third parties to host their websites and are thus beholden only to themselves.
In the future, unless a company can afford the monumental expense of setting up its very own ISP, it will be subject to the whims and political leanings of its digital masters. This means that no start-up company will be free to operate without becoming a publisher, and being a publisher means you are open to legal action over the content you allow a definition that will force all small operations to censor or go bust.
Digital Hypocrisy The Facebooks, Twitters, and Googles of this world fear no such repercussions. Indeed, anti-Semitic content has been widely viewed and shared on these major league social media platforms without a single action being taken. Prominent black nationalist and Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan has posted and reposted videos of himself stating, Im not an anti-Semite. Im anti-termite, receiving thousands of likes and retweets, all without restriction. Despite examples such as this, the voices who are celebrating GABs imminent demise have not called for Twitter to suffer the same fate.
As the nations tech giants gain more concentrated power and the countrys leaders await legislative proposals for regulation that may create a virtual monopoly, it is time to ask ourselves if this is the end of the internet as a stage for free speech.
Yesterday it was Alex Jones, today it is GAB, tomorrow it will be any soul who dares to dream of a world where people can communicate freely, express themselves openly, and live in a society where the legality of your own thoughts are not subject to political diktat or capricious whimsy.
I see you’re a devout Christian of one persuasion or another. While I believe in God I don’t hang on every word in the Bible as being the indisputable truth. It was written by men. Organized religion is great for teaching the basic fundamentals of right and wrong but it was also written to control mass populations to keep them in line.
I’ll stick with the facts as I see and understand them. You, as always, are free to follow whatever doctrine suits you.
One fact is many Jewish people in America are secular Jews; not the Jews you write about. A very different breed.
You can’t explain your position more because it is silly and fails to understand basic reality. You CANNOT force businesses to carry all traffic. It runs into ALL the problems I already pointed out. They CANNOT serve all customers. Even the lunch counter can refuse service.
Freedom of speech has ALWAYS ended at property. And it MUST continue to be that. You cannot force your message onto somebody’s wall, paper, stage, hard drive or T1 line. And that is a good thing. We all loved it when The Dixie Chick were losing record contracts and radio play. In your new “all traffic” world that wouldn’t happen. Your all traffic model is not only logistically impossible, it’s the tyranny of the minority. It’s just plain a bad idea no matter how you slice it.
‘Free speech’ social platform Gab has gone offline:
https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3700844/posts
Only temporarily. Will be back likely this week sometime. Had to move the site to another server provider.
Gab has spent the past 48 hours proudly working with the DOJ and FBI to bring justice to an alleged terrorist. Because of the data we provided, they now have plenty of evidence for their case. In the midst of this Gab has been no-platformed by essential internet infrastructure providers at every level. We are the most censored, smeared, and no-platformed startup in history, which means we are a threat to the media and to the Silicon Valley Oligarchy.
Gab isnt going anywhere.
It doesnt matter what you write. It doesnt matter what the sophist talking heads say on TV. It doesnt matter what verified nobodies say on Twitter. We have plenty of options, resources, and support. We will exercise every possible avenue to keep Gab online and defend free speech and individual liberty for all people.
You have all just made Gab a nationally recognized brand as the home of free speech online at a time when Silicon Valley is stifling political speech they disagree with to interfere in a US election.
The internet is not reality. TV is not reality. 80% of normal everyday people agree with Gab and support free expression and liberty. The online outrage mob and mainstream media spin machine are the minority opinion. People are waking up, so please keep pointing the finger at a social network instead of pointing the finger at the alleged shooter who holds sole responsibility for his actions.
No-platform us all you want. Ban us all you want. Smear us all you want.
You cant stop an idea.
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.
Andrew Torba, CEO Gab.com
It's time to drop a big government hammer on "private" corporations that want to censor speech. The concerns about doing this are abstract and hypothetical. The damage and dangers caused by doing nothing are quite apparent and real.
Nope. I understand your position quite well. You want to force companies to carry things on their property. That’s a bad idea. And also a clear violation of the 1st. Part of freedom of speech is the freedom to NOT. Their property, their message.
The damage and dangers that would be caused by your idea are beyond measure. Because now you’re giving the government the ability to declare what is and isn’t censorship and punishing companies accordingly. Just look at all the pinheads on the left who want to outlaw disagreeing with global warming, and consider what happens with your idea if they get put in charge. Always ask yourself what the other side would do with your increase in government power, if the idea scares you you know it’s a bad idea.
No you don't. If you did, you wouldn't keep rattling on.
Speech is no one's property.
I'm sighing too, and it's because people want to put forth some abstract theoretical danger to avoid doing anything of real consequence about a very deadly existing danger.
Adam Smith warned about cartels. I wouldn't think I would have to explain Adam Smith to anyone on a conservative website.
I do understand. I also understand that you know you’re wrong, which is why you’re on all insults and not even trying to actually make your case.
BUZZZ Wrong again. As soon as speech hits somebody else’s stuff it IS COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY property. Remember that the next time you change the channel away from a political ad. If you were right that would be illegal.
If you go on someone’s property, the only “right” you have is the right to leave. If they don’t like what you say, they can tell you to leave. And you have to leave.
Not at all. I’ve just argued with you before.
Yes you have. And it’s always the same, you say something stupid, and only use insults after that. We both know you’re full of crap. And this is no exception.
Any communications system which relies on the PUBLIC to participate is not anyone's "property." If you want it to be your property, make it a private club with the public not allowed. If it accepts public speech, it must be forced to accept all of the public's speech, with the usual exceptions regarding illegal speech.
People need to stop regarding communications systems as anyone's property. If they serve the mass public, they are a "commons." If they don't want to be a commons, they need to refrain from soliciting the public.
We wouldn't tolerate any communications system that refused to carry any speech by blacks, and we should not tolerate any communications system that refuses to carry speech for some 40% of the public that regard themselves as conservatives.
Don't want to carry speech? Don't be a communications company.
This thing is a real threat to our lives, our society, and our system of governance. It is akin to private corporations having a monopoly on the air which we all need to breath.
If you regard my having no further patience with you as an insult, that’s on you. So far as I’m concerned, you have earned the pigeonhole into which you’ve been put.
You are aware this site routinely expels posters right? These social media sites are not public utilities. They are not subject to “Common Carrier’ law like telephone service.
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