I originally had an interest in going on Gab because I wanted to write an article about the “Far Right platform.” I had head it was a white supremacist website populated by Christians, with a very different ideology to my own. Being involved in fighting racism on several occasions, I wanted to check it out and see if it was as terrible as I had heard. The site itself is represented as being populated by racists and radical far right people so I made an account and checked it out.
I was rather shocked to find out how truly liberal the platform was. Gab is no more Far Right than it is Left and centre. It is full of people who fit into just about every category imaginable. To say it is far right is a great disservice to the people who run and communicate on the platform. The person who runs Gab, Andrew Torba is what I would refer to as a zealous man. He has a very strong minded approach to free speech and whilst he differs from me in many opinions, he generally comes across as reasonable, likeable and he has been very welcoming to everyone using his platform as far as I have seen.
Gab is about freedom of speech, and it is probably for that reason other social media giants dislike the platform intently and it is maligned by the media. On other social media, terrorist attacks have been organised, as have rapes and murders. People have been bullied into suicide and yet the platforms still have their apps and are treated as though there is no issue anywhere. All social media platforms are full of alt/far left and alt/far right sociopaths and no one bats an eye, however the second a free speech platform sprouts up that challenges what has become known as Big Tech, it must be destroyed, abused and maligned.
It is nothing more than antitrust on a global scale and the deplatforming and attacks against Gab are vile, inaccurate and are frankly sinister. I have seen no reason in being on the platform over several years on and off that it is in any way more dangerous than Twitter or Facebook, and because of the welcoming side and the fact I have seen less bullying there, I believe it is a safer place to be. I’ve seen people fight on Gab and it’s different. It’s a lot more mature and features a lot less bullying in my experience than other platforms allow.
You must, as with everything I write, accept this as anecdotal evidence. What I am writing comes strictly from my own personal experience with social media and with platforms like Gab. I would always recommend looking into a platform like Gab before condemning it, even if there is significant evidence that there is a problem. I went in looking for a dust up with some white supremacists and found none on the platform. I have had several mature and adult arguments on Gab and they have been refreshing, compared to the childish alliances that sprout up on Facebook.
Gab has been horribly maligned as a far right platform when it is not actually so. What it is in truth is a place that allows the liberty of discussion. Gab features truths you cannot find anywhere else, conspiracy theorists, patriotism, a huge Christian following. Due to its accepting nature and freedoms allowed, I would say it is the most progressive and above all left wing platform out there at this time.
What I like from the majority of people I have interacted with on Gab, is that they are mostly friendly, which comes into stark contrast with the bloodthirsty hordes of far right and far left sociopaths on other networks. I had joined on my most recent account during the end of Donald Trump’s presidency, and tensions were high.
I communicated with a lot of people and occasionally noticed posts that other platforms might regard as Islamophobic made by some prominent Christian Gabbers. “Here we go.” I thought and decided to start a debate. I commented as a Sufi and raised some opinions, and rather than being met with ferocity, I was treated well by the majority of people who interacted with me. Others were just respectful and didn’t attack me or my beliefs. I finally joined the Christian group and thanked everyone for their welcome as someone outside the faith. This was met with a lot of support and positivity from the people of Gab. I was shocked at the friendliness of everyone I had expected to attack me.
On other platforms I have been attacked relentlessly, but not on Gab, though there is the potential for that kind of behaviour, as it is a free speech platform. I would say that Gab is a decent platform, a little laggy at times, but full of good people. Yes, there may be one or two bad apples, however I am confident in saying that I see a lot less of them there than on other, more popular social media platforms. Facebook and Twitter are both highly authoritarian and right wing by comparison. So I’m really rather confused as to why Gab has received this kind of attack. Still, I rather enjoy Gab, and I think the people are pretty decent.
Just your average space adventurer turned blogger. Prematurely balding. Egad, no! Forsooth!
