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Bloomberg
Microsoft Corp. threatened to suspend web-hosting services it provides to Gab.ai after getting a complaint about anti-Semitic posts on the social-media site, a new twist in the technology industry’s controversial crackdown on hate speech.
Microsoft’s Azure cloud-computing division said it would take action in two business days if Gab didn’t remove two posts that prompted
the complaint about “malicious activity,†according to a post on by Gab.
“We have concluded that this content incites violence, is not protected by the First Amendment, and violates Microsoft Azure’s acceptable use policy,†the software maker said.
“Our policies rightly prohibit this type of content, and we expect Gab.ai to abide by these policies if it wishes to use our service. Gab.ai is of course free to choose otherwise and work with another cloud service provider or host this content
itself.†If Gab chooses other providers, Microsoft said it will give the site “a reasonable amount of time, in this instance longer than 48 hours,†to move content elsewhere before its access to Azure cloud services is terminated.
Gab declined to comment beyond its public post. Gab was founded in the summer of 2016 by Andrew Torba, a conservative entrepreneur.