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Gab is under pressure after Pittsburgh shooting

Gab is a social media platform that allows all types of speech, including hate speech and has been under some heat recently. The Pittsburgh Synagogue shooter, Robert Bowers, posted numerous amounts of anti-semitic messages on the social media. He was allowed to do so as Gab prides itself for being a social media that allows all types of "free speech". Gab's free thinking intentions for the social media were not what they hoped for. It has been a digital gathering for anti-semites and white nationalists, where they can freely express their beliefs. Gab is not the only website that has "free speech" but seems to attract the most of these type of people.

Since then, Gab has been shut down by its web hosting provider, Joyent, but hopes to get online soon. Gab's president, Andrew Torba says, "We will exercise every possible avenue to keep Gab online and defend free speech and individual liberty for all people."(Click here to view the whole article) Gab has currently been working with the FBI in investigating Bowers account. This has made people wonder if there could have been something the social media company could have done before to prevent the recent incident.


Do you think there should be social media that allows "free speech"? Why or why not? Do you think it's fair that people's speech is restricted on social media? Why or why not? And finally, do you think that companies that claim to be "free speech" should be obligated to report people for their behavior online?

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Comments

  1. Mr. LawlerNovember 19, 2018 at 10:25 AM

    Nice post, Colin. This is such an important issue to write and think about. I recently read an article suggesting that the government find ways to regulate social media. I'm not sure how that would happen or what that would look like, but don't be surprised if it's debated in the coming year.

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