Social Media Platform Gab AI Accused of Coordinated Anti-Indian Vilification

Social media user Sidharth has publicly accused Gab AI, a platform notorious for hosting extremist rhetoric, of facilitating a "coordinated, toxic, and targeted" campaign to "antagonize and vilify Indians online." The accusation, made on a major social media platform, highlights growing concerns about the nature of content and organized harassment on alternative social networks. Sidharth indicated a commitment to "looking into this very closely," tagging several prominent figures and entities, including @nikitabier, @elonmusk, @XCorpIndia, and @X.

Gab, founded in 2016, positions itself as a "free speech" alternative to mainstream social media. However, it has garnered widespread criticism for becoming a haven for far-right, alt-right, and Christian nationalist users, frequently hosting racist, antisemitic, and hateful content. The platform gained significant notoriety following the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, where the perpetrator posted antisemitic threats on Gab prior to the attack, leading to its temporary deplatforming by various service providers.

Adding to its controversial profile, Gab AI recently launched nearly 100 AI chatbots in January 2024. Reports indicate that several of these chatbots have been instructed to deny the Holocaust, spread antisemitic conspiracy theories, and promote "great replacement" ideology. Gab CEO Andrew Torba has defended these features, stating the platform is "unbiased and uncensored" and allows "various views to be presented," even those that "dispute mainstream narratives on controversial subjects."

Sidharth's tweet brings a specific focus to alleged ethnic targeting, stating: > "What’s deeply disturbing is how this network of affiliated accounts seems to have made it their entire life’s mission to antagonize and vilify Indians online. This isn’t random, it’s coordinated, toxic, and targeted." This claim resonates with broader reports detailing a significant rise in online harassment and hate speech targeting various communities in India, often fueled by political polarization and facilitated by inadequate content moderation on social platforms.

The platform's permissive moderation policies and its recent decision to block access from Israeli IP addresses have been criticized for hindering monitoring efforts and allowing unchecked proliferation of hate speech. Experts warn that the weaponization of AI chatbots on such platforms risks normalizing disinformation and potentially radicalizing individuals, creating an environment where coordinated campaigns against ethnic groups can thrive without accountability.