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Comment by tibbar | Hacker News Reader

> Gab does not have (and has never had) such records in its care or control

In response to a request for all “related communications” to terrorism/Jan. 6 etc. It strains belief that they haven’t even discussed these topics internally.

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I used to work for a former U.S. Marine who had a good quote - "don't write when you can speak, don't speak when you can nod, and don't nod when you can wink".

That quote is at least a 100 years old, but it's pretty hard to follow in practice. Especially at a digital communications company!

If you know the original source I'd be curious to hear it.

Allegedly https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Lomasney

Eliot Spitzer (!) infamously added the addendum "And never put anything in email"

Modern equivalent: don't text or email when you can call, don't call when you can speak face to face, don't speak face to face if you can wink

you see powerful people following this advice all the time, like with Bill Clinton and Loretta Lynch’s tarmac meeting. He flew in a plane to talk face to face just to ensure it wouldn't get recorded.

Don't set a meeting when you can email, don't email when you can slack, don't slack when you can do a :thumbsup: emoji one someone else's comment

This quote in the context of a Marine is a dark reminder, regardless of which side is more legitimate in each instance: Either a Marine can't trust his government, or the government can't trust its Marine.

That's not what they're saying.

They're saying as a company they don't have ownership of records of such discussions, which could be true.

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