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2021-02-21 Cyber
Free speech social media platform Gab goes mysteriously dark
[Washington Examiner] Gab, the alternative social media platform that exploded in popularity following the Capitol riot last month and former President Donald Trump’s ban from Facebook and Twitter, went offline Friday evening.

The platform’s CEO Andrew Torba said that the company intentionally pulled the social media network offline "out of an abundance of caution" after a small number of accounts began "posting bitcoin wallet spam and related content."

"Because of our quick action, zero bitcoin was sent to any of the addresses posted, and the affected accounts have been secured," the statement said.

The statement added that a "security vulnerability" in the site's codebase had now been fixed, and the site was back online as of midnight Friday.

The initially mysterious disappearance of Gab comes as alternative social media platforms that claim to be open to free speech have attempted to gain traction amid accusations that social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter censor too much content, singling out conservative content for the most moderation.

Both Gab and Parler, another alternative social media platform, exploded in popularity following the Jan. 6 Capitol riots that eventually led to Trump’s ban from Facebook and Twitter. Parler was banned just days later by Google and Apple’s app stores, and it also lost its hosting arrangement with Amazon Web Services, forcing the platform offline while it tried to find a new host.

Friday’s dark period marked the second time that Gab had gone offline in its history, the first being after the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting. In that case, Gab’s host pulled the plug on the platform after it was discovered that the suspect had used the network to post anti-Semitic rants and conspiracy theories.

Gab eventually began accepting cryptocurrencies as payment in an attempt to bypass traditional technology companies.
Posted by Besoeker 2021-02-21 09:33|| || Front Page|| [5 views ]  Top

#1 

Beginning to sound like Anti-Trust/Monopoly lawsuit against the current Social Media Giants will be coming... Won't be the 1st time a IT startup acquired the needed startup funding by taking on Monopoly's.
Posted by NN2N1 2021-02-21 10:35||   2021-02-21 10:35|| Front Page Top

#2 "Unexpectedly"
Posted by Bobby 2021-02-21 11:53||   2021-02-21 11:53|| Front Page Top

#3 It’s not really mysterious if the site explains why. I appreciate that kind of vigilance, to be honest. Spam is Bad for all sorts of reasons.
Posted by trailing wife 2021-02-21 14:01||   2021-02-21 14:01|| Front Page Top

09:41 SteveS
09:36 SteveS
09:27 trailing wife
09:18 M. Murcek
09:08 Besoeker
08:55 ed in texas
08:54 ed in texas
08:50 ed in texas
08:49 Besoeker
08:49 Cholutle+Thrans9751
08:46 Cholutle+Thrans9751
08:40 AlanC
08:39 Besoeker
08:30 Elmerert Hupens2660
08:22 Besoeker
08:22 Mullah Richard
08:17 Grom the Reflective
08:15 Elmerert Hupens2660
08:10 Grom the Reflective
08:09 Besoeker
08:08 Grom the Reflective
08:06 Grom the Reflective
08:02 Grom the Reflective
07:47 NN2N1









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