gab

Gab commonly refers to casual conversation. As a verb, to gab means to talk informally and at length, often about trivial topics. The word is of English origin and has given rise to related terms such as gabfest (a lengthy discussion) and gabbing (the act of talking).

Gab also denotes a social networking platform launched in 2016 by entrepreneur Andrew Torba. It positions itself as a free-speech oriented service with minimal content moderation, aiming to offer an alternative to mainstream networks. The site has attracted a diverse user base, including conservatives and others who feel constrained by policies on larger platforms. Gab has been the subject of controversy due to hosting content associated with extremist or hate groups, which has drawn criticism from researchers, media, and advertisers. In response, the service has faced actions from infrastructure providers and payment processors that disrupted operations, and it has experienced outages during transitions in its hosting arrangements. The platform was originally known as Gab.ai and later rebranded to Gab.com. Despite these challenges, Gab continues to operate as a niche social network emphasizing privacy, user control, and a rhetoric of free expression.