Following today’s Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh that left 11 dead and six others wounded, PayPal has decided to ban the social media platform Gab from using its payment platform according to The Verge.
Below is the statement given to The Verge by a PayPal spokesperson:
The company is diligent in performing reviews and taking account actions. When a site is explicitly allowing the perpetuation of hate, violence or discriminatory intolerance, we take immediate and decisive action.
Gab’s Twitter account also posted the message they received from PayPal confirming the ban:
https://twitter.com/getongab/status/1056283312522637312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1056283312522637312&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theverge.com%2F2018%2F10%2F27%2F18032930%2Fpaypal-banned-gab-following-pittsburgh-shooting
PayPal’s decisions comes after a number of anti-semitic posts by the suspected gunman Robert Blowers were discovered on the social media platform. This includes a post from Blowers minutes before he shooting took place where he stated he was ‘going in’. 
Gab also released a statement Medium stating that they “unequivocally disavows and condemns all acts of terrorism and violence.” Gab continues by saying “this has always been our policy. We are saddened and disgusted by the news of violence in Pittsburgh and are keeping the families and friends of all victims in our thoughts and prayers.”
PayPal’s decision also comes after a number of other high-profile tech companies have made their own decisions to avoid any kind of business relationship with Gab. Google removed Gab’s app from the Google Play store for violating the company’s policy on hate speech while Apple never allowed the platform within their store to begin with. Microsoft also threatened to kick the platform off their server after a pair of anti-semitic posts were published this past July.
Gab was originally started as an alternative to Twitter that promoted ‘free speech’ and ‘liberty’ among its users. However it quickly became a haven for white supremacists and dirtbags on the alt-right to spread their hate speech.
At this point, with PayPal no longer on board with the medium it’s unclear if Gab’s days are numbered.
