NEW YORK – Fighting Online Antisemitism (FOA), with the support of the World Jewish Congress, released a report today revealing how the extremist-friendly social network Gab and its AI chatbots have incubated and spread virulent antisemitic rhetoric and content.
The report finds that Gab’s laissez-faire approach to moderation turned the platform into a breeding ground for anti-Jewish hate speech and conspiracy theories, which then amplifies extremist ideologies and even inspire real-world violence. The findings sound an alarm that urgent action is needed to curb online antisemitism before it translates into further harm offline.
Gab, founded in 2016 as an alternative social media platform promoting itself as a “home for free speech,” has attracted significant criticism due to its intentional lack of moderation regarding hate speech, notably antisemitism. The report reveals that Gab explicitly refuses to monitor or moderate hate speech content, citing protection under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Key findings from the report include:
- Promotion of extremist ideologies: Gab has become a prominent platform for far-right and antisemitic content, deliberately rejecting standard moderation policies that prevent hate speech.
- AI chatbots fueling hate: In January 2024, Gab launched 91 AI chatbots, several of which actively spread antisemitic conspiracy theories, Holocaust denial and “great replacement” ideology. Particularly disturbing is the “Talk to Adolf Hitler” chatbot that explicitly denies the Holocaust.
- Real-world harm: Gab’s absence of moderation has had direct consequences, including in connection with the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue attack, when the shooter posted antisemitic messages on Gab prior to carrying out the massacre.
- Support for hate groups: Gab’s founder, Andrew Torba, has publicly endorsed antisemitic groups such as the Goyim Defense League (GDL), framing their presence on the platform as a free speech matter and enabling their hateful rhetoric.
- Blocking monitoring efforts: Gab recently blocked access from Israeli IP addresses, making it significantly more challenging for watchdog organizations to monitor antisemitic activities and enabling unchecked proliferation of hate.
Tomer Aldubi, Founder and Executive Director of FOA, said attempts to engage with Gab’s management had been rebuffed. “When we reached out to Gab’s CEO to curb the antisemitism thriving on his platform, he dismissed our appeal as ‘censorship’ and refused to take any responsibility,” Aldubi said. “That dismissive response only underlines the severity of the problem. Since Gab won’t act, others must step in – whether through pressure from the tech industry or intervention by regulators – to hold it and similar companies accountable for the dangers they enable.”
Yfat Barak-Cheney, Executive Director of the WJC’s Technology and Human Rights Institute (TecHRI), said, “The spread of antisemitism online is reaching a crisis point. Platforms like Gab have become breeding grounds for hate that inevitably spills over into the real world. The report’s findings make clear that we cannot afford to ignore this threat. We need urgent, concerted action from both tech companies and policymakers to rein in online antisemitism before more lives are endangered.”
The report provides additional recommendations for urgently needed action, including increased scrutiny and regulation from authorities, heightened public awareness campaigns and holding web hosting services such accountable for supporting platforms that facilitate extremist content.
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