Greenhalgh (2023)

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<h1 style="color:white; text-align:center">Christian Nationalism in Official Communication from the Far-Right Social Media Platform Gab</h1>
<h3 style="color:white">Spencer P. Greenhalgh, PhD<br>     School of Information Science, University of Kentucky
<br>     <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width = 25 style="fill: rgb(249, 38, 114)" viewBox="0 0 512 512"><path d="M352 256c0 22.2-1.2 43.6-3.3 64H163.3c-2.2-20.4-3.3-41.8-3.3-64s1.2-43.6 3.3-64H348.7c2.2 20.4 3.3 41.8 3.3 64zm28.8-64H503.9c5.3 20.5 8.1 41.9 8.1 64s-2.8 43.5-8.1 64H380.8c2.1-20.6 3.2-42 3.2-64s-1.1-43.4-3.2-64zm112.6-32H376.7c-10-63.9-29.8-117.4-55.3-151.6c78.3 20.7 142 77.5 171.9 151.6zm-149.1 0H167.7c6.1-36.4 15.5-68.6 27-94.7c10.5-23.6 22.2-40.7 33.5-51.5C239.4 3.2 248.7 0 256 0s16.6 3.2 27.8 13.8c11.3 10.8 23 27.9 33.5 51.5c11.6 26 20.9 58.2 27 94.7zm-209 0H18.6C48.6 85.9 112.2 29.1 190.6 8.4C165.1 42.6 145.3 96.1 135.3 160zM8.1 192H131.2c-2.1 20.6-3.2 42-3.2 64s1.1 43.4 3.2 64H8.1C2.8 299.5 0 278.1 0 256s2.8-43.5 8.1-64zM194.7 446.6c-11.6-26-20.9-58.2-27-94.6H344.3c-6.1 36.4-15.5 68.6-27 94.6c-10.5 23.6-22.2 40.7-33.5 51.5C272.6 508.8 263.3 512 256 512s-16.6-3.2-27.8-13.8c-11.3-10.8-23-27.9-33.5-51.5zM135.3 352c10 63.9 29.8 117.4 55.3 151.6C112.2 482.9 48.6 426.1 18.6 352H135.3zm358.1 0c-30 74.1-93.6 130.9-171.9 151.6c25.5-34.2 45.2-87.7 55.3-151.6H493.4z"/></svg> <a style="color: rgb(249, 38, 114)" href="https://spencergreenhalgh.com/work">spencergreenhalgh.com/work</a>
<br>     <svg width = 25 style="fill: rgb(249, 38, 114)"  xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512"><path d="M48 64C21.5 64 0 85.5 0 112c0 15.1 7.1 29.3 19.2 38.4L236.8 313.6c11.4 8.5 27 8.5 38.4 0L492.8 150.4c12.1-9.1 19.2-23.3 19.2-38.4c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48H48zM0 176V384c0 35.3 28.7 64 64 64H448c35.3 0 64-28.7 64-64V176L294.4 339.2c-22.8 17.1-54 17.1-76.8 0L0 176z"/></svg> <a style="color: rgb(249, 38, 114)" href="mailto:spencer.greenhalgh@uky.edu">spencer.greenhalgh@uky.edu</a>
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<a style="color: rgb(249, 38, 114)" href="https://sciences.social/@spgreenhalgh">@spgreenhalgh@sciences.social</a></h3>

<p style="color:white"> slides: <a style="color: rgb(249, 38, 114)" href="https://spencergreenhalgh.com/work/_sssr_2023_gab.html">https://spencergreenhalgh.com/work/_sssr_2023_gab.html</a></p>

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# background

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# emergence of "alt-tech" in late 2010s and 2020s

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# "Gab, one of the well-known fringe platforms that has survived several rounds of deplatformization since its inception in 2017"

van Dijck, J., de Winkel, T., & Schäfer, M. T. (2021). Deplatformization and the governance of the platform ecosystem. *New Media & Society*. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211045662

???

Gab is perhaps the most persistent and most controversial of these platforms, which hasn't gone unnoticed; after it was discovered that the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooter had posted a manifesto to Gab, a number of major companies stopped providing web hosting, banking, and other services for Gab

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# Facebook-like, with elements of YouTube, TikTok, and even Venmo

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# "We also measure the prevalence of hate speech on the platform, finding it to be much higher than Twitter, but lower than 4chan’s Politically Incorrect board."

Zannettou, S., Bradlyn, B., De Cristofaro, E., Kwak, H., Sirivianos, M., Stringini, G., &
Blackburn, J. (2018). What is Gab: A bastion of free speech or an alt-right echo chamber. In *WWW ’18: Companion proceedings of the The Web Conference 2018* (pp. 1007–1014). https://doi.org/10.1145/3184558.3191531

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<h2 style="color:white; text-align:center">platform perspectives</h2>

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# how platforms work and how people use them are important, but...

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# "a platform is a *mediator* rather than an intermediary: it shapes the performance of social acts instead of merely facilitating them"

van Dijck, J. (2013). *The culture of connectivity: A critical history of social media*. Oxford University Press.

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# *ownership* and *governance*

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# "Ultimately, our analysis reveals how, in many ways, Zuckerberg’s discursive practices not only situates Facebook in society, but also situates society for Facebook."

Hoffmann, A. L., Proferes, N, & Zimmer, M. (2018). "Making the world more open and connected": Mark Zuckerberg and the discursive construction of Facebook and its users. *New Media & Society*, *20*(1), 199-218. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444816660784

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# methods and study context

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# 341 posts on the official Gab blog

# authored by Andrew Torba, CEO of Gab

# posted between May 2019 and April 2023

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# Step 1: read through all of the posts to familiarize myself with data

# Step 2: generate a codebook based on notes from Step 1

# Step 3: apply (and adapt) codebook to data

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# findings

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<h2 style="color:white; text-align:center">cosmology</h2>

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# "[T]he Holy Spirit has captivated and energized the youth. The kids are Christian Nationalists."

`2021-03-20-have-faith-the-kids-are-christian-nationalists.html`

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## "These young men and women have absolutely nothing to lose by speaking the Truth boldly and calling out the wickedness of critical theory, mass immigration, and the destruction of The West and indeed Christendom itself."

`2021-03-20-have-faith-the-kids-are-christian-nationalists.html`

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## "Objective truth is only offensive to those who hate and wish to hide objective truth."

`2021-11-27-never-forget-holodomor-memorial-day.html`

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### "This is a spiritual war.

### There is a very clear dichotomy between good and pure evil.

### The line in the sand has been drawn.

### What we need to remember is that we have God and Truth on our side.

### United in faith, we can and will accomplish anything together.

### The question is: which side are you on?"

`2020-10-15-the-digital-civil-war-is-here-which-side-are-you-on.html`

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# "the false god of the state or the false god of porn or the false god of alcohol"

`2020-11-19-reporting-live-from-the-banana-republic-of-pennsylvania.html`

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# "The gospel of the Regime. The gospel of Fauci. The gospel of Black Lives Matter. The gospel of Trump. The gospel of Fox News. The gospel of CNN. The gospel of Zuckerberg."

`2021-12-08-christians-december-6th-was-your-wakeup-call-about-what-is-coming-for-us-all.html`

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# "when you raise billions from the Beast, the Beast owns and controls you for life"

`2021-12-02-gab-is-not-for-sale.html`

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# "the demons at the ADL"

`2021-08-01-an-alternative-to-paypal-is-coming.html`

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# "The ADL is an anti-Christ, Anti-American, and Anti-White hate organization. "

`2021-10-11-gabs-response-to-the-adl.html`

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<h2 style="color:white; text-align:center">Christian sovereignty</h2>

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<h1>Andrew Torba<br>CEO, Gab.com<br>Jesus is King<br>October 5th, 2020</h1>

`2020-10-05-seed-the-narrative-early-and-often-how-journalism-works-according-to-cnet.html`

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# "The Gospel of Jesus Christ unites Americans across race, political party, class, status, location, age, and gender. America is a Christian nation."

`2021-03-21-the-american-populist-platform.html`

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# "the work we are doing to take dominion of our country and culture"

`2022-07-26-responding-to-rachel-maddows-attack-on-gab.html`

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# "Then start your pilgrimage to a new parallel society where Jesus is King, family values matter, and freedom rings."

`2021-09-12-what-does-a-parallel-society-look-like.html`

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# "I am in the process of transitioning every part of my financial expenses to support Christian businesses, Christian media companies, Christian content creators, and Christian people."

`2021-02-01-the-silent-christian-secession.html`

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`2021-02-17-its-time-to-build-our-own-parallel-economy.html`
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<h2 style="color:white; text-align:center">Christian identity</h2>

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`2021-01-13-gab-calls-on-facebook-and-twitter-to-be-banned-from-app-stores-following-capitol-riot.html`

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`2020-12-02-the-legacy-media-is-dead-long-live-the-new-media.html`

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# "These demons dug into every corner of my existence and all they found was a Christian patriot who has consistently stood up for what he believes in for his entire life."

`2019-08-19-big-tech-has-an-extremist-problem-and-no-one-seems-to-care.html`

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# "They will call our speech 'hate speech' because we dare to speak the Truth of God’s Word."

`2022-02-25-gab-go-and-build.html`

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# "It’s important to understand that it’s not just Gab under attack, it’s Christianity in general."

`2021-02-25-why-the-oligarchs-fear-christianity.html`

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<h2 style="color:white; text-align:center">opposition</h2>

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# "If you are a Christian conservative in the United States of America you are treated worse and have less freedom online than the Taliban."

`2021-08-17-big-techs-role-in-helping-the-taliban-capture-afghanistan.html`

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# "the massive volumes of 'hate speech' [...] aimed at straight, white, Christian men and women as well as people of color who support the President of the United States"

`2019-08-17-vice-attempts-to-smear-gab-but-is-forced-to-admit-that-gab-is-winning`

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# "Whenever we get no-platformed the first thing I do is thank God for the blessings that inevitably come from these trials by fire."

`2019-08-24-why-i-thank-god-each-time-gab-gets-noplatformed.html`

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<h2 style="color:white; text-align:center">Gab's mission</h2>

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# "God moved me to build what would become a digital Noah’s Ark of sorts"

`2020-06-24-then-they-came-for-christians-a-warning.html`

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# "it’s about the ability for Christians to authentically practice our faith in Jesus Christ without being attacked"

`2021-12-02-gab-is-not-for-sale.html`

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# "we continue to survive and thrive by the grace of God and thanks to the support of people like you"

`2021-08-01-an-alternative-to-paypal-is-coming.html`

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# "Together and by the Grace of God we built an enduring online community grounded in the uniquely Christian value of freedom of speech"

`2021-09-27-building-technology-to-power-a-parallel-christian-society.html`

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# "on Gab Christians are thriving and the Gospel is being shared"

`2021-09-27-building-technology-to-power-a-parallel-christian-society.html`

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# conclusion

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# Christian nationalism isn't just happening *on* Gab...

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# ... Gab is *built* and *operated* around values of Christian nationalism.

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# "Platforms, in our view, [...]are gradually infiltrating in, and converging with, the (offline, legacy) institutions and practices through which democratic societites are organized."

van Dijck, J., Poell, T., & de Waal, M. (2018). *The platform society: Public values in a connective world*. Oxford University Press.

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<h1 style="color:white">Thank you! Looking forward to questions.</h1>
<h3 style="color:white">Spencer P. Greenhalgh, PhD<br>     School of Information Science, University of Kentucky
<br>     <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width = 25 style="fill: rgb(249, 38, 114)" viewBox="0 0 512 512"><path d="M352 256c0 22.2-1.2 43.6-3.3 64H163.3c-2.2-20.4-3.3-41.8-3.3-64s1.2-43.6 3.3-64H348.7c2.2 20.4 3.3 41.8 3.3 64zm28.8-64H503.9c5.3 20.5 8.1 41.9 8.1 64s-2.8 43.5-8.1 64H380.8c2.1-20.6 3.2-42 3.2-64s-1.1-43.4-3.2-64zm112.6-32H376.7c-10-63.9-29.8-117.4-55.3-151.6c78.3 20.7 142 77.5 171.9 151.6zm-149.1 0H167.7c6.1-36.4 15.5-68.6 27-94.7c10.5-23.6 22.2-40.7 33.5-51.5C239.4 3.2 248.7 0 256 0s16.6 3.2 27.8 13.8c11.3 10.8 23 27.9 33.5 51.5c11.6 26 20.9 58.2 27 94.7zm-209 0H18.6C48.6 85.9 112.2 29.1 190.6 8.4C165.1 42.6 145.3 96.1 135.3 160zM8.1 192H131.2c-2.1 20.6-3.2 42-3.2 64s1.1 43.4 3.2 64H8.1C2.8 299.5 0 278.1 0 256s2.8-43.5 8.1-64zM194.7 446.6c-11.6-26-20.9-58.2-27-94.6H344.3c-6.1 36.4-15.5 68.6-27 94.6c-10.5 23.6-22.2 40.7-33.5 51.5C272.6 508.8 263.3 512 256 512s-16.6-3.2-27.8-13.8c-11.3-10.8-23-27.9-33.5-51.5zM135.3 352c10 63.9 29.8 117.4 55.3 151.6C112.2 482.9 48.6 426.1 18.6 352H135.3zm358.1 0c-30 74.1-93.6 130.9-171.9 151.6c25.5-34.2 45.2-87.7 55.3-151.6H493.4z"/></svg> <a style="color: rgb(249, 38, 114)" href="https://spencergreenhalgh.com/work">spencergreenhalgh.com/work</a>
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<a style="color: rgb(249, 38, 114)" href="https://sciences.social/@spgreenhalgh">@spgreenhalgh@sciences.social</a></h3>

<p style="color:white"> slides: <a style="color: rgb(249, 38, 114)" href="https://spencergreenhalgh.com/work/_sssr_2023_gab.html">https://spencergreenhalgh.com/work/_sssr_2023_gab.html</a></p>