The mass shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, U.S. has revived discussion about social media and whether they foment violent action. The accused shooter used a website called Gab to rail against Jews.
Website created in response to restrictions
This website was created in response to restrictions placed by Facebook and Twitter and it billed itself as a home for free speech. It attracted anti-Semites, neo-Nazis and white supremacists, and the suspect in the Pittsburgh attack.
Since the shooting, Gab has gone off line because of several setbacks. The financial payment processor, Paypal removed Gab from its platform and it has lost its domain name host and other internet infrastructure providers.
Gab founder Andrew Torba vows to “exercise every possible avenue to keep Gab online and defend free speech and individual liberty for all people.”
On the Gab website, founder Andrew Torba says the site is being censored and smeared, and he promises it will be back online soon. (Jenny Kane/AP Photo)
What role do social media play?
This has rekindled debate about websites like Gab. “The question really is to what extent do social media companies play a role in or have responsibility for radicalizing folks who may be susceptible to this type of violent ideology at hate speech,” says Brian Fung, a technology reporter for The Washington Post.
If people with radical or violent views cannot post on Gab they may find other sites or wait for Gab to go back online. It’s not clear whether mainstream companies will be willing to work with social media platforms that allow this sort of speech.
As it now stands, mainstream companies use automated AI or algorithms to weed out platforms that violate their policies. Or they may use people as moderators to manually review content, although this is difficult given the massive amount of content.
There will likely be pressure on companies to come up with new technology to monitor their sites. And the debate will continue pitting those who believe in free speech against those who seek to curtail hate speech and violence.
(photo The Washington Post)
Reporter Brian Fung explains how Gab started and the controversy surrounding it.
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