Social media site Gab removes anti-Semitic posts after Microsoft threat

A social media site frequented by far-right activists and anti-Semites has been forced to remove two anti-Semitic posts after Microsoft threatened to pull the plug on it.

Social media network Gab is hosted by Microsoft on its Azure cloud service and markets itself as a platform for free speech but was forced to remove two offensive posts after a complaint.

Gab’s founder Andrew Torba said he had “no choice” but to remove the posts after Microsoft threatened to pull its service, but Torba later admitted that at least one of the posts in question “unquestionably” broke the site’s content rules.

Writing on the site, Torba said Microsoft “has given us 48 hours to take action on two posts, or they will pull our service and Gab will go down for weeks/months”.

Microsoft said it had a responsibility to ensure “our services are not abused by people and groups seeking to incite violence,” adding: “Gab.ai is of course free to choose otherwise and work with another cloud service provider or host this content itself.”

Among the posts appearing prominently on the site are those referring to the Holocaust as a “Holohoax” and others peddling conspiracies featuring cartoon images of hook-nosed Jews.