Social Network Gab.com being threatened by GoDaddy: 24 hours to transfer or suspension

[domainguy50]

backstory: Gab is a social network alternative to twitter. their selling point is free speech (all speech is welcome, including what you believe might be hate speech.) which is basically is the first amendment. no unlawful material is allowed, but virtually any speech is. recently they purchased the "gab com" domain for $220k.

this site is very controversial as a result, with mainstream media outlets claiming it is popular with nazi and anti-semite messages. the site has 800,000 users and has experienced modest growth recently so it really isnt all bad hate speech. regardless, those disgusting messages on the site by some users are also lawful no matter how distasteful they are. as a result of these media attacks, (and the recent revelation that the synagogue shooter in pittsburgh yesterday had an active gab profile) gab is being unfairly targeted by smear campaigns online reporting the site as "a hate speech site" via email to gab's service providers.

gabs host (microsoft) revoked its contract with gab a few months ago

gabs payment providers (paypal and stripe) just revoked their services

just a few minutes ago, godaddy has said they will stop working with gab:
(i cant post the image or link idk why)
"BREAKING: Godaddy is threatening to suspend our domain (which is worth six figures) if we do not transfer to a new provider by tomorrow. This is madness."

the complexity of the situation is compounded by the fact that Gab is on a payment plan to fully own the domain since they recently purchased it. the broker/escrow agent control this which makes it even more difficult for the company to transfer to a new registrar by EOD tomorrow.

I understand that Godaddy is a private business and its clauses may allow it to do this, but this seems extreme overreaction. "24 hours to transfer or else" is a very menacing way of doing business.

-if you were in charge of gab what would you do? create your own payment processor, host, and DNS? they got deplatformed quickly... i guess they could try to get an offshore Hosting company or invest in native hosting.

-what is the most "free speech" friendly DNS provider there is?

-is it fair for internet infrastructure companies to de-platform a small upstart social network because of controversial speech? or should companies like DNS and hosting should be regulated and allow any customer as long as it is lawful content being hosted.

 

[NYJimbo]

Gab is a haven for hate speech against the left, blatant racism, antisemitism and baseless bizarre conspiracy theories. Glad to see them go.

I see you are a "new user". Are you afraid to use your regular account to speak your mind ?

 

[domainguy50]

theres blatant racism on every website including twitter and youtube comments but i still dont believe those websites deserve to be de-platformed by critical internet infrastructure companies. that really wasnt any of my questions either but thanks for your response.

 

[NYJimbo]

theres blatant racism on every website including twitter and youtube comments but i still dont believe those websites deserve to be de-platformed by critical internet infrastructure companies. that really wasnt any of my questions either but thanks for your response.

Because your post isnt sincere, you are defending them and spinning them as just a "social network". Some of the worst people use that service to spew hate. They could have cleaned it up, but they know that they only exist because of all the things I mentioned.

Stormfront, Infowars, GAB and a few others are what fuels these domestic terrorists.

 

[Rob Monster]

This seems heavy-handed to me. Anyone have contact info for their owners?

 

[Name Trader]

That's how GoDaddy treats everyone who they think crosses the line. I've never heard of Gab before now. Probably GoDaddy has had complaints about Gab and are reacting to them. Even if Gab are not breaking any laws, they probably are breaking their ToS with GoDaddy. It's also probably in their ToS that they only need to give 24hrs notice. Didn't Gab read these terms of service before they signed up, or just ignored it?

Also. How many times have I got to say this? You should never, ever, have your domain registration and hosting with the same company. This is what can happen, if you do have them with the same company.

I think Gab have a lot of fault in this dispute. But I feel sorry for them all the same. GoDaddy ToS is probably watertight and their lawyers are the best. Of course.

 

[~ The 34 Year Buzz!!]

"Free speech" sounds really good until you actually hear some of it.

FYI The video/song does not contain any bad speech

The Clash - Know Your Rights

Oh, know these rights
Number three
You have the right to free speech
As long as
You're not dumb enough to actually try it

 

[NYJimbo]

I think Gab have a lot of fault in this dispute. But I feel sorry for them all the same.

Gabs logo is a smiling green frog. Its a variation of "Pepe the Frog", a once funny cartoon that has been appropriated by neo-nazis, white supremacists and the alt-right. Originally they were going to use Pepe himself, but Matt Furie who designed it, has been suing these groups who are abusing his art work. So they made their own "Pepe".

If Gab is such an innocent social network, you have to wonder why they chose that graphic. I'm glad Gab is being shut down, it never stood for free speech, it was a safe-haven for these far-right hate groups.

 

[~ The 34 Year Buzz!!]

...it never stood for free speech, it was a safe-haven for these far-right hate groups.

free speech includes hate, sorry... Freedom 101

You cannot have real freedom when you are telling others what to do, as long as they do not initiate actual violence.


````
``````
The non-aggression principle (or NAP; also called the non-aggression axiom, the anti-coercion, zero aggression principle or non-initiation of force) is an ethical stance asserting that aggression is inherently wrong. ... The NAP is considered by some to be a defining principle of natural-rights
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-aggression_principle

 

[NYJimbo]

free speech includes hate, sorry... Freedom 101

Maybe, but I will gladly help shut down anyone trying to spew hate speech. These websites are directly responsible for so much of the hate you hear in todays society. I will not stand up for anyones rights spew hate.

I'm done with this thread.

 

[~ The 34 Year Buzz!!]

Maybe, but I will gladly help shut down anyone trying to spew hate speech. These websites are directly responsible for so much of the hate you hear in todays society. I will not stand up for anyones rights spew hate.
...

Freedom isn't always pretty, but at least you are free. When you try to ban "bad stuff" and push it underground it tends to get worse. If you let them be idiots in public, sometimes they turn into decent human beings because they are exposed to people outside of their underground hate group.

 

[bmugford]

It is not just individuals that have free speech, a private company can also choose who they do business with.
I don't blame these companies for not wanting to be associated with hate speech. It is not good for their brand.

I do have more of an issue with the (24) hour time frame GoDaddy gave. That really is not a reasonable time frame.
I would love to be able to demand GoDaddy fix some issue in the same time frame.

Brad

 

[JB Lions]

It's against GoDaddy TOS, talking about/encouraging violence, killing people. They were stupid with their setup. I'm sure there are other places/countries where it's ok.

 

[JB Lions]

From the last time we had a conversation about something like this, Daily Stormer - https://www.namepros.com/threads/neo-nazi-website-daily-stormer-to-lose-domain-name.1035543/

"Neo-Nazi website Daily Stormer to lose domain name
GoDaddy told the white supremacist site it has 24 hours to find a new domain provider."

"GoDaddy may also cancel the registration of a domain name, after thirty (30) days, if that name is being used, as determined by GoDaddy in its sole discretion, in association with spam or morally objectionable activities. Morally objectionable activities will include, but not be limited to:

• Activities prohibited by the laws of the United States and/or foreign territories in which you conduct business;
• Activities designed to encourage unlawful behavior by others, such as hate crimes, terrorism and child pornography; and
• Activities designed to harm or use unethically minors in any way."

 

[Rob Monster]

The Archived site is here:

https://web.archive.org/web/20181028220903/https://gab.com/

As near as I can tell, this does not seem to be a site overtly promoting hateful content. It seems more like a Reddit free for all.

I believe that one of the great challenges for registrars in the coming years will be to maintain a framework for digital sovereignty, particularly as the global control grid moves to silence competing narratives.

The stakeholders in the registrar and hosting industry should be careful to judge prematurely. Winner take all, including in the marketplace for ideas and narrative, is not a good thing for the domain industry.

One thing is clear from their financial statements, and that is that their motivation does not appear to be financial as they have a pretty lousy business model:

https://web.archive.org/web/2018102...70924418000001/GAB_-_Annual_Report_-_2018.pdf

We'll see how this plays out, but GoDaddy's actions are consistent with past actions and endorsement and PIPA and SOPA. How quickly people forget.

 

[rh2000]

backstory: Gab is a social network alternative to twitter. their selling point is free speech (all speech is welcome, including what you believe might be hate speech.) which is basically is the first amendment. no unlawful material is allowed, but virtually any speech is. recently they purchased the "gab com" domain for $220k.

this site is very controversial as a result, with mainstream media outlets claiming it is popular with nazi and anti-semite messages. the site has 800,000 users and has experienced modest growth recently so it really isnt all bad hate speech. regardless, those disgusting messages on the site by some users are also lawful no matter how distasteful they are. as a result of these media attacks, (and the recent revelation that the synagogue shooter in pittsburgh yesterday had an active gab profile) gab is being unfairly targeted by smear campaigns online reporting the site as "a hate speech site" via email to gab's service providers.

gabs host (microsoft) revoked its contract with gab a few months ago

gabs payment providers (paypal and stripe) just revoked their services

just a few minutes ago, godaddy has said they will stop working with gab:
(i cant post the image or link idk why)
"BREAKING: Godaddy is threatening to suspend our domain (which is worth six figures) if we do not transfer to a new provider by tomorrow. This is madness."

the complexity of the situation is compounded by the fact that Gab is on a payment plan to fully own the domain since they recently purchased it. the broker/escrow agent control this which makes it even more difficult for the company to transfer to a new registrar by EOD tomorrow.

I understand that Godaddy is a private business and its clauses may allow it to do this, but this seems extreme overreaction. "24 hours to transfer or else" is a very menacing way of doing business.

-if you were in charge of gab what would you do? create your own payment processor, host, and DNS? they got deplatformed quickly... i guess they could try to get an offshore Hosting company or invest in native hosting.

-what is the most "free speech" friendly DNS provider there is?

-is it fair for internet infrastructure companies to de-platform a small upstart social network because of controversial speech? or should companies like DNS and hosting should be regulated and allow any customer as long as it is lawful content being hosted.

Next time they will be more careful of who they let use their website.

 

[mr-x]

This seems heavy-handed to me. Anyone have contact info for their owners?

They are active on twitter.

 

[domainguy50]

This seems heavy-handed to me. Anyone have contact info for their owners?

His twitter handle is GetonGab where they're active
Name of Ceo is Andrew Torba.

 

[Recons.Com]

This seems heavy-handed to me. Anyone have contact info for their owners?

So you are trying to benefit from the controversy and offer home for a breeding ground terrorists and supremacists?

 

[Rob Monster]

So you are trying to benefit from the controversy and offer home for a breeding ground terrorists and supremacists?

I am a Bible-believing Christian. Some people think that means that I am crazy. Some people think that means I promote hate speech. Well, I am not crazy and I love everyone. See related thread:

https://www.namepros.com/threads/do-you-judge-people-by-their-domains.1105583/

I was looking on their Archive site and am struggling to find this evil content.

Google Docs, Google Drive and Google hangouts are no doubt being used for propagating similar content. Check this out:

https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=neonazi

Should we shut down Google too? Oh, that's right, we can't. Why? Because they are their own registrar and their own host although for the moment they still use MarkMonitor for their domain.

If you really think anyone will shut down alternative media, it cannot be done. It will find another way and that way is likely Blockchain. If you want domains to matter for more than another 10 years, let freedom ring.

 

[JB Lions]

I am a Bible-believing Christian. Some people think that means that I am crazy. Some people think that means I promote hate speech. Well, I am not crazy and I love everyone. See related thread:

https://www.namepros.com/threads/do-you-judge-people-by-their-domains.1105583/

I was looking on their Archive site and am struggling to find this evil content.

Google Docs, Google Drive and Google hangouts are no doubt being used for propagating similar content. Check this out:

https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=neonazi

Should we shut down Google too? Oh, that's right, we can't. Why? Because they are their own registrar and their own host although for the moment they still use MarkMonitor for their domain.

If you really think anyone will shut down alternative media, it cannot be done. It will find another way and that way is likely Blockchain. If you want domains to matter for more than another 10 years, let freedom ring.

Try Twitter, some was posted in the Politics thread:

http://archive.is/k63LE#selection-369.0-369.96

https://web.archive.org/web/20181027160428/https://imgur.com/a/cwB9QkR

"HIAS likes to bring invaders in that kill our people.
I can't sit by and watch my people get slaughtered.
Screw your optics, I'm going in."

Right after that he went and killed people.

 

[Internet.Domains]

Finally got a good debate going!

 

[Rob Monster]

In fact, it was the free press that exposed Trump for the fallen man that he was. Whether or not he is rehabilitated now, God only knows. Funny enough, the Jews in Israel compare Trump to the Persian King Cyrus, circa 530 BC. Look that one up sometime. You might learn something. It is secular history.

 

[~ The 34 Year Buzz!!]

Finally got a good debate going!

Rough times, thanks for the smile

 

[JB Lions]

In fact, it was the free press that exposed Trump for the fallen man that he was. Whether or not he is rehabilitated now, God only knows. Funny enough, the Jews in Israel compare Trump to the Persian King Cyrus, circa 530 BC. Look that one up sometime. You might learn something. It is secular history.

Use him to get what they want. A non-believer that serves as a vessel for them. Basically look the other way, make excuses for him, sell themselves out. Flattering him, comparing him to a King, will do the trick.

If you want domains to matter for more than another 10 years, let freedom ring.

I don't think domains will live or die based on GoDaddy or other companies enforcing their TOS against encouraging violence/killing people.

The one mentioned earlier, looks like they're on a .name now

https://www.google.com/search?q=daily+stormer&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-1