The social networking platform Gab, a popular networking site among far-right users, experienced an increase in website traffic and growth following the Capitol attacks and President Trump
Donald Trump McConnell distributes proceedings for Trump’s second indictment trial in Trump Senate suggesting building own platform after Twitter ban Poll: 18% of Republicans support Capitol riotsthe suspension of Twitter this week.
Gab CEO Andrew Torba said the platform saw 40% increase in traffic during the riot that killed five people and resulted in dozens of arrests, according to NPR.
Torba founded the company in 2016 and promoted it as a platform for freedom of expression. Gab is frequented by far-right activists, according to Business Insider. The website is similar to Twitter and includes a main channel and an exploration area.
Earlier on Saturday, the platform tweeted that it had gained more than 10,000 users in one hour and received 12 million views in 12 hours, according to Insider.
The increase in engagement with Gab comes after videos appeared on the riot platform on Wednesday showing themselves breaking into the Capitol and holding discussions between them about Vice President Pence’s search during the security breach, according to a New York Times report.
The Times reported that users involved in the violent attack on Capitol Hill communicated to Gab among themselves about where to gather and what streets to take to avoid police.
However, Torba, in a statement later Wednesday, responded to the Times report, stating that: “[W]I did not preemptively scan user content for criminal speech, “Torba said.” Before the Capitol was occupied by protesters, we had no idea what would come of today’s protests in DC. “
“Most of our users use Gab on desktop devices, which are obviously not easy to carry and use in a protest,” Torba said.
Other websites that increased traffic since November election night include Parler, TheDonald and MeWe. These social platforms have minimal content moderation compared to apps like Twitter and Facebook.
On Wednesday, a crowd of supporters of President Trump marched on the Capitol to stop the certification of the president-elect in Congress Joe Biden
Judge Joe BidenUS blocks the Trump administration’s restrictions on asylum eligibility. McConnell distributes proceedings for the second Senate impeachment trial against TrumpThe victory of the Electoral College.
The crowd breached the security of the Capitol, broke windows and vandalized lawmakers’ offices. Failure to do so also led lawmakers, the media and staff to evacuate the floors of the House and Senate and find refuge in undisclosed locations.
Supporters of the president reflected on various platforms on the possibility of violence at the Capitol ahead of Wednesday’s attacks. Posts on websites like Parler were full of posts about the assault on the Capitol.
After Wednesday’s riots, Trump was suspended from Twitter for good after determining that his posts pose “the risk of a new incitement to violence.”