The following is an Open letter from Gab.com CEO Andrew Torba:

Dear Gab Community,

We want to keep you informed about an important development involving Gab and its commitment to preserving the principles of free speech and open discourse. Our platform, which is based in the United States, has recently received a censorship demand from a foreign country – New Zealand. We feel it is our responsibility to share this news with you, as transparency is crucial in upholding the values we hold dear. As many of you already know we regularly turn down censorship demands from foreign governments including France, Germany, and the UK among others.

First and foremost it’s essential to understand that Gab is situated in the United States, where governmental interference with political speech is categorically prohibited. Our platform benefits from the robust protection of U.S. constitutional law, which empowers us to make decisions about the content we host without external influence. Regardless of how offensive certain content may be, we firmly stand behind the principles of free expression.

Our commitment to these principles means that we do not censor lawful content for any reason, and we do not yield to orders from foreign nations that attempt to curtail this fundamental right. It is worth reiterating that Gab’s operations are entirely based in the United States, and we have no presence, verification, establishment, or intention to hire personnel in New Zealand.

Addressing the specific content in question, we wish to clarify a significant point. Contrary to the allegations made in the recent letter, Gab does not actually host the content itself. Instead, we provide a hyperlink that serves as a reference to content hosted elsewhere on the Internet. This hyperlink, by design, could potentially lead to any content, contingent on the decisions made by the webhost on the other end.

It has come to our attention that New Zealand is attempting to achieve a particular outcome through indirect means. It appears that the content they seek to remove is self-hosted by a third party, leading to the attempt to erase any reference to it by demanding the removal of a hyperlink posted by a Gab user. This leads us to believe that the original author is non-responsive to their requests, leading to an attempt to exert control over our platform as an alternative avenue.

We want to assure you that we will not comply with this request to remove the link. We stand firm in our commitment to free speech and will not be coerced into suppressing content or stifling open discussion. Any attempt to pressure Gab, regardless of its source, will be met with the same unwavering stance.

In conclusion, we acknowledge that New Zealand has the right to voice its concerns and make decisions for its citizens. However, we believe that respecting the principles of free speech and the values that underpin open dialogue is of utmost importance. Whether New Zealand chooses to align itself with those who have attempted to undermine these values is a matter for them to decide.

Thank you for being a part of the Gab community. Your support is essential as we navigate these challenges and continue to champion the ideals of free expression and open discourse.

Sincerely,

Andrew Torba

CEO, Gab.com

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