Another gem found on fediverse.space.
The Stats for any instance include "Insularity" -- the percentage of all created messages in the instance which are directed to users in the same instance.
I had seen this mentioned, and now confirmed it.
This is what Defederation looks like. Not pretty.
@design_RG new to mastodon - what is gab?
It's a server, like qoto, running a modified version of mastodon. They have a "free speech" policy where being civil is not a requirement. Consequently, most of the users who are capable of being civil got fed up with the incivility and left, and those who remain largely have no other instance willing to put up with their behaviour. Many instances now block gab, but qoto is pretty good about not engaging in that sort of dogpiling so we are still free to engage with them.
It started life as a right-leaning instance who felt existing social media was biased and unfairly repressing conservative users. They joined the fediverse earlier this year, and while it was initially much like noagendasocial or quodverum, I think the centrists are largely gone now and most of what I see from there these days is some flavour of antisemitism. I live in a country where conservatism is generally associated with support for Israel and find this quite jarring.
There are a few good accounts from Gab I still follow, but I can't name five off the top of my head. Of the four I can think of, I'd only recommend others follow two of them.
You're on point in regards to the culture. The #GabFam, which started out as a loving crew who supported everyone, eventually began co-opted by divisive folks, which led to the formation of Friends Of Gab, but from what I can remember that group never gained much traction.