Why Alternative Social Media Is Important For Social Signaling
The idea of using alternative social media to communicate and influence our political discourse is not new. For example, Trump recently launched Truth Social, a platform that focuses on breaking news from all over the world. However, this social media platform is not immune to the same problems as mainstream social media platforms. In fact, many people believe that the content on this platform is inaccurate and biased. Nevertheless, they still do not see it as a viable replacement for traditional news sources.
Gab is an alternative social media platform for people posting content
The website Gab is one of the alternative social media platforms used by content creators. It has a lax community policy, which attracts users who are seeking extreme content but have been banned from more mainstream sites. There are numerous white supremacist figures on Gab, but these are not the only types of content that are posted there.
Gab's founders have made clear that their aim is to create an uncensored alternative to the mainstream social media platforms that censor hateful users. They've stated in numerous public statements that Gab welcomes such users, and they've continued to make this explicit.
Gab is home to tens of thousands of Trump supporters and white supremacists. Many of them believe they are being targeted by mainstream social media sites and are being forced to turn to these sites in order to spread their views. This collective feeling of victimhood is what brings many people to Gab.