4chan#/sci/
{{Short description|Anonymous imageboard website}}
{{Pp-move}}
{{Pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox website
| name = 4chan
| logo = 4chan logo.svg
| screenshot = 4chan Boards.png
| screenshot_size =
| screenshot_alt =
| caption = Homepage on May 3, 2023
| services = 4chan Pass
| url = {{URL|https://4chan.org}}
| advertising = Yes
| commercial = Yes
| type = Imageboard
| registration = None (except for staff)
| language = English
| country_of_origin = United States
| owner = {{ubil | Hiroyuki Nishimura (since 2015)}}
| author = Christopher Poole
| launch_date = {{ubil|{{start date and age|p=y|2003|10|1}}{{cite web |url=https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php?all#2 |title=Welcome |website=4chan |author=moot |date=October 1, 2003 |access-date=August 2, 2008}}}}
| current_status = Active
| programming_language = PHP
}}
4chan is an anonymous English-language imageboard website. Launched by Christopher "moot" Poole in October 2003, the site hosts boards dedicated to a wide variety of topics, from video games and television to literature, cooking, weapons, music, history, technology, anime, physical fitness, politics, and sports, among others. Registration is not available, except for staff, and users typically post anonymously. {{as of|2022}}, 4chan receives more than 22 million unique monthly visitors, of whom approximately half are from the United States.{{cite web |url=https://www.4chan.org/press |title=4chan – Press |website=4chan |access-date=April 19, 2022}}{{cite journal |last=Elley |first=Ben |date=2021-03-09 |title="The rebirth of the West begins with you!"—Self-improvement as radicalisation on 4chan |journal=Humanities and Social Sciences Communications |language=en |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=1–10 |doi=10.1057/s41599-021-00732-x |s2cid=232164033 |issn=2662-9992|doi-access=free }}
4chan was created as an unofficial English-language counterpart to the Japanese imageboard Futaba Channel, also known as 2chan, and its first boards were originally used for posting images and discussion related to anime. The site has been described as a hub of Internet subculture, its community being influential in the formation and popularization of prominent Internet memes, such as lolcats, Rickrolling, rage comics, wojaks, Pepe the Frog, as well as hacktivist and political movements, such as Anonymous and the alt-right.
4chan has often been the subject of media attention as a source of controversies, including the coordination of pranks and harassment against websites and Internet users, and the posting of illegal and offensive content as a result of its lax censorship and moderation policies. In 2008, The Guardian summarized the 4chan community as "lunatic, juvenile [...] brilliant, ridiculous and alarming".{{cite news |last=Michaels |first=Sean |date=March 19, 2008 |title=Taking the Rick |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/mar/19/news |url-status=live |access-date=July 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080727172939/http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/mar/19/news |archive-date=July 27, 2008}}
Background
File:Christopher Poole at XOXO Festival September 2012.jpg, 4chan's founder, at XOXO Festival in 2012]]
The majority of posting on 4chan takes place on imageboards, on which users have the ability to share images and create threaded discussions.{{cite web |url=https://www.4chan.org/faq.php#what4chan |title=FAQ – What is 4chan? |website=4chan |access-date=July 15, 2008}} {{As of|August 2022}}, the site's homepage lists 75 imageboards and one Flash animation board. Most boards have their own set of rules and are dedicated to a specific topic, including anime and manga, video games, music, literature, fitness, politics, and sports, among others. Uniquely, the "Random" board—also known as /b/—enforces few rules.{{cite web |title=Rules – 4chan |url=https://www.4chan.org/rules |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220426030042/https://www.4chan.org/rules |archive-date=26 April 2022 |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=4chan}}
4chan is the Internet's most trafficked imageboard, according to the Los Angeles Times. 4chan's Alexa rank was 853 in March 2022,{{cite web|url=https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/4chan.org|title=4chan.org – Site Information|website=Alexa|access-date=March 20, 2022|archive-date=September 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190929024400/https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/4chan.org|url-status=dead}} though it has been as high as 56. It is provided to its users free of charge and consumes a large amount of bandwidth; as a result, its financing has often been problematic. Poole has acknowledged that donations alone could not keep the site online, and turned to advertising to help make ends meet.{{cite web|url=https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php?all#95|title=The long and short of it|author=Poole|first=Christopher "moot"|author-link=Christopher Poole|date=February 12, 2008|website=4chan|access-date=August 2, 2008}} However, the explicit content hosted on 4chan has deterred businesses who do not want to be associated with the site's content.{{cite magazine |last=Grossman |first=Lev |author-link=Lev Grossman |title=The Master of Memes |newspaper=TIME |place=United States |volume=172 |issue=3 |pages=50–51 |date=July 9, 2008 |url=http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1821435,00.html |access-date=July 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724092400/http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1821435,00.html |archive-date=July 24, 2008 |url-status=live}} In January 2009, Poole signed a new deal with an advertising company; in February 2009, he was $20,000 in debt, and the site was continuing to lose money.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/16/AR2009021601565.html|title=A Virtual Unknown; Meet 'Moot,' the Secretive Internet Celeb Who Still Lives With Mom|last=Hesse|first=Monica|date=February 17, 2009|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=April 16, 2009|pages=23–24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325164948/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/16/AR2009021601565.html|archive-date=March 25, 2010|url-status=live}} The 4chan servers were moved from Texas to California in August 2008, which upgraded the maximum bandwidth throughput of 4chan from 100 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s.{{cite web|url=https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php?all#106|title=Beyond One Billion|author=Poole|first=Christopher "moot"|author-link=Christopher Poole|date=August 6, 2012|website=4chan News}}
Unlike most web forums, 4chan does not have a registration system, allowing users to post anonymously.{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/living/article/257955|title=Funny how 'stupid' site is addictive|last=Langton|first=Jerry|date=September 22, 2007|newspaper=Toronto Star|access-date=July 16, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622184259/http://www.thestar.com/living/article/257955|archive-date=June 22, 2008 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.4chan.org/faq.php#postanon |title=FAQ – How do I post anonymously? |website=4chan |access-date=July 16, 2008}} Posting is ephemeral, as threads receiving recent replies are "bumped" to the top of their respective board and old threads are deleted as new ones are created. Any nickname may be used when posting, even one that has been previously adopted, such as "Anonymous" or "moot".{{cite web |url=https://www.4chan.org/faq.php#register |title=FAQ – Can I register a username? |website=4chan |access-date=July 16, 2008}} In place of registration, 4chan has provided tripcodes as an optional form of authenticating a poster's identity.{{cite web |url=https://www.4chan.org/faq.php#trip |title=FAQ – How do I use a "tripcode"? |website=4chan |access-date=July 16, 2008}} As making a post without filling in the "Name" field causes posts to be attributed to "Anonymous", general understanding on 4chan holds that Anonymous is not a single person but a collective (hive) of users.{{cite web |url=https://www.4chan.org/faq.php#anonymous |title=FAQ – Who is "Anonymous"? |website=4chan |access-date=July 16, 2008}}
Moderators generally post without a name even when performing sysop actions. A "capcode" may be used to attribute the post to "Anonymous ## Mod", although moderators often post without the capcode.{{cite web |title=FAQ – What is a capcode? |url=https://www.4chan.org/faq.php#capcode |access-date=July 16, 2008 |website=4chan}} In a 2011 interview on Nico Nico Douga, Poole explained that there are approximately 20 volunteer moderators active on 4chan. 4chan also has a junior moderation team, called "janitors", who may delete posts or images and suggest that the normal moderation team ban a user, but who cannot post with a capcode. Revealing oneself as a janitor is grounds for immediate dismissal.{{cite web |title=FAQ – What are "janitors"? |url=https://www.4chan.org/faq#whojan |access-date=January 12, 2009 |website=4chan}} Gianluca Stringhini, an associate professor at Boston University College of Engineering, said in August 2024, "The only moderation on the platform appears to be for clearly illegal content, such as child pornography. Everything else remains untouched."{{Cite web |last=Kulkarni |first=Ankita |date=August 16, 2024 |title=4chan: The digital world fueling misinformation |url=https://www.logicallyfacts.com/en/analysis/4chan-fueling-disinformation |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Logically Facts |language=en}}
4chan has been the target of occasional denial of service attacks. For instance, on December 28, 2010, 4chan and other websites went down due to such an attack, following which Poole said on his blog, "We now join the ranks of MasterCard, Visa, PayPal, et al. - an exclusive club!"{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12090245|title=Web attack takes Anonymous activists offline|date=December 29, 2010|work=BBC News|access-date=December 29, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230083125/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12090245|archive-date=December 30, 2010 |url-status=live}}
History
= 2000s =
The site was launched as 4chan.net on October 1, 2003, by Christopher Poole, a then-15-year-old student from New York City using the online handle "moot". Poole had been a regular participant on Something Awful's subforum "Anime Death Tentacle Rape Whorehouse" (ADTRW), where many users were familiar with the Japanese imageboard format and Futaba Channel ("2chan.net"). When creating 4chan, Poole obtained Futaba Channel's open source code and translated the Japanese text into English using AltaVista's Babel Fish online translator.{{cite news|url=https://www.technologyreview.com/s/420323/radical-opacity/|title=Radical Opacity|last=Dibbell|first=Julian|date=August 23, 2010|work=MIT Technology Review|access-date=July 7, 2018|archive-date=July 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726063629/https://www.technologyreview.com/s/420323/radical-opacity/|url-status=live}} After the site's creation, Poole invited users from the ADTRW subforum, many of whom were dissatisfied with the site's moderation, to visit 4chan, which he advertised as an English-language counterpart to Futaba Channel and a place for Western fans to discuss anime and manga.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/tuning-into-innovation-outside-the-confines-of-english-speaking-web-1.919524|title=Tuning into innovation outside the confines of English-speaking web|last=O'Brien|first=Danny|date=May 2, 2008|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=January 17, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703174840/http://www.irishtimes.com/business/tuning-into-innovation-outside-the-confines-of-english-speaking-web-1.919524|archive-date=July 3, 2015|url-status=live}} At its founding, the site only hosted one board: /b/ (Anime/Random).{{refn|group=note|name=2011japaninterview|As explained by Poole during a live-video online interview with Hiroyuki Nishimura, founder of 2channel, on the Japanese website Nico Nico Douga during his trip to Japan in 2011{{cite web |url=http://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv57271090 |title=Moot x Hiroyuki Social Media Talk Session (ID: 57271090) |date=July 27, 2011 |website=nicovideo.jp |access-date=July 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140831182732/http://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv57271090 |archive-date=August 31, 2014 |url-status=live }}}}
Before the end of 2003, several new anime-related boards were added, including /h/ (Hentai), /c/ (Anime/Cute), /d/ (Hentai/Alternative), /w/ (Wallpapers/Anime), /y/ (Yaoi), and /a/ (Anime). In the early days of the website, Poole hosted meetings from 2005 to 2008 in various locations to promote it, such as Otakon,{{cite book |last=Beran |first=Dale |title=It Came from Something Awful: How a Toxic Troll Army Accidentally Memed Donald Trump into Office |date=July 30, 2019 |publisher=All Points Books |isbn=978-1-250-21947-3 |edition=1st |location=New York |page=x}} that popularized some of the first 4chan-related memes.
Additionally, a lolicon board was created at /l/ (Lolikon),{{cite web |url=https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php/?all#20 |title=News |website=4chan |date=August 14, 2004 |access-date=October 29, 2011 |archive-date=March 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210326170934/https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php/?all#20 |url-status=live }} but was disabled following the posting of real-life child pornography and ultimately deleted in October 2004, after threats of legal action.{{cite web |url=http://www.jonnydigital.com/4chan-history |title=4chan history | Jonathan's Reference Pages |website=Jonnydigital.com |access-date=October 21, 2013}}{{cite web |url=https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php/?all#11 |title=News |website=4chan |date=August 14, 2004 |access-date=October 29, 2011 |archive-date=March 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210326170934/https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php/?all#11 |url-status=live }} In February 2004, GoDaddy suspended the 4chan.net domain, prompting Poole to move the site to its current domain at 4chan.org. On March 1, 2004, Poole announced that he lacked the funds to pay the month's server bill, but was able to continue operations after receiving a swarm of donations from users.{{cite web|url=https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php/?all#53|title=Ding Dong, 4chan is Dead|author=Poole|first=Christopher "moot"|author-link=Christopher Poole|date=June 20, 2004|website=4chan News|access-date=March 7, 2021|archive-date=March 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210326170934/https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php/?all#53|url-status=live}} In June 2004, 4chan experienced six weeks of downtime due to PayPal suspending 4chan's donations service after receiving complaints about the site's content.{{cite web |date=August 11, 2004 |author=The Team |url=https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php/?all#55 |title=We're Back! |website=4chan News |access-date=March 7, 2021 |archive-date=March 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210326170934/https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php/?all#55 |url-status=live }}
Following 4chan's return, several non-anime related boards were introduced, including /k/ (Weapons), /o/ (Auto), and /v/ (Video Games).{{cite web |url=https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php/?all#59 |title=News |website=4chan |date=August 14, 2004 |access-date=October 29, 2011 |archive-date=March 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210326170934/https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php/?all#59 |url-status=live }} In 2008, nine new boards were created, including the sports board at /sp/, the fashion board at /fa/ and the "Japan/General" (the name later changed to "Otaku Culture") board at /jp/.{{cite web |url=http://www.4chan.org/4channews.php?all#96 |title=News |website=4chan |date=February 29, 2008 |access-date=April 7, 2017 |archive-date=March 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210326170924/https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php?all#96 |url-status=live }} By this point, 4chan's culture had altered, moving away from the "early, more childish," humour, as evident by the likes of Project Chanology; trolling underwent a so-called "golden age" that took aim at American corporate media.{{cite journal |last=Knuttila |first=Lee |date=2011 |title=User unknown: 4chan, anonymity and contingency |url=https://journals.uic.edu/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3665 |journal=First Monday |language=en |doi=10.5210/fm.v16i10.3665 |issn=1396-0466 |doi-access=free |access-date=April 9, 2022 |archive-date=January 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131052910/https://journals.uic.edu/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3665 |url-status=live }}{{cite journal |last1=Tuters |first1=Marc |last2=Hagen |first2=Sal |date=2020 |title=(((They))) rule: Memetic antagonism and nebulous othering on 4chan |journal=New Media & Society |language=en |volume=22 |issue=12 |pages=2218–2237 |doi=10.1177/1461444819888746 |s2cid=213822198 |issn=1461-4448|doi-access=free |hdl=11245.1/0ced7be8-435b-4259-bad0-77594ad68c56 |hdl-access=free }}
= 2010s =
{{anchor|r9k}}
In January 2011, Poole announced the deletion of the /r9k/ ("ROBOT9000") and /new/ (News) boards, saying that /new/ had become devoted to racist discussions, and /r9k/ no longer served its original purpose of being a test implementation of xkcd's ROBOT9000 script.{{cite web |date=January 19, 2011 |title=Why were /r9k/ and /new/ removed? |url=http://content.4chan.org/tmp/r9knew.txt |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110820154606/http://content.4chan.org/tmp/r9knew.txt |archive-date=August 20, 2011 |access-date=January 12, 2009 |df=mdy-all}} During the same year, the /soc/ board was created in an effort to reduce the number of socialization threads on /b/. /r9k/ was restored on October 23, 2011, along with /hc/ ("Hardcore", previously deleted), /pol/ (a rebranding of /new/) and the new /diy/ board, in addition to an apology by Poole where he recalls how he criticized the deletion of Encyclopedia Dramatica and realized that he had done the same.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}
In 2010, 4chan had implemented reCAPTCHA in an effort to thwart spam arising from JavaScript worms. By November 2011, 4chan made the transition to utilizing Cloudflare following a series of DDoS attacks. The 4chan imageboards were rewritten in valid HTML5/CSS3 in May 2012 in an effort to improve client-side performance. On September 28, 2012, 4chan introduced a "4chan pass"{{cite web |url=https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php#110 |title=News |website=4chan |access-date=October 21, 2013 |archive-date=March 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210326170930/https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php#110 |url-status=live }} that, when purchased, "allows users to bypass typing a reCAPTCHA verification when posting and reporting posts on the 4chan image boards"; the money raised from the passes to go towards supporting the site.{{cite web |url=https://www.4chan.org/pass |title=Pass |website=4chan |access-date=October 21, 2013}}
File:Hiroyuki Nishimura's speech in Sapporo 20050831.jpg, the owner of 4chan since 2015]]
On January 21, 2015, Poole stepped down as the site's administrator, citing stress from controversies such as Gamergate as the reason for his departure.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/4chans-overlord-christopher-poole-reveals-why-he-walked-away-20150313|title=4chan's Overlord Christopher Poole Reveals Why He Walked Away|last1=Kushner|first1=David|author-link=David Kushner (writer)|date=2015-03-13|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=December 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120190817/http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/4chans-overlord-christopher-poole-reveals-why-he-walked-away-20150313|archive-date=November 20, 2016|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php?all#118|title=The Next Chapter|author=Poole|first=Christopher "moot"|author-link=Christopher Poole|date=January 21, 2015|website=4chan|access-date=January 21, 2015}}{{cite news|url=https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/4chan-founder-moot-leave-controversial-internet-forum-1484519|title=Christopher Poole Leaves 4chan|last=Skipper|first=Ben|date=January 21, 2015|newspaper=International Business Times|access-date=January 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123213502/http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/4chan-founder-moot-leave-controversial-internet-forum-1484519|archive-date=January 23, 2015|url-status=live}} On September 21, 2015, Poole announced that Hiroyuki Nishimura had purchased from him the ownership rights to 4chan, without disclosing the terms of the acquisition.{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurenorsini/2015/09/21/4chan-sale-2channel-moot-christopher-poole-hiroyuki-nishimura/ |first=Lauren |last=Orsini |title=How The 4chan Sale Returns The Controversial Forum To Its Anime Roots |date=September 21, 2015 |website=Forbes |access-date=August 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923211021/http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurenorsini/2015/09/21/4chan-sale-2channel-moot-christopher-poole-hiroyuki-nishimura/ |archive-date=September 23, 2015 |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/09/21/4chan-sells-to-japanese-web-culture-pioneer-2channel/?_r=0|title=4chan Message Board Sold to Founder of 2Channel, a Japanese Web Culture Pioneer|last=Issac|first=Mike|date=September 21, 2015|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921221529/http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/09/21/4chan-sells-to-japanese-web-culture-pioneer-2channel/?_r=0|archive-date=September 21, 2015|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/christopher-moot-poole-sells-anarchic-imageboard-4chan-to-2channel-owner-hiroyuki-nishimura-10511765.html|title=Christopher 'Moot' Poole sells anarchic imageboard 4chan to 2channel owner Hiroyuki Nishimura|last=Bolton|first=Doug|date=September 21, 2015|work=The Independent|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190303094408/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/christopher-moot-poole-sells-anarchic-imageboard-4chan-to-2channel-owner-hiroyuki-nishimura-10511765.html|archive-date=March 3, 2019|url-status=live}} Nishimura was the former administrator of 2channel between 1999 and 2014, the website forming the basis for anonymous posting culture which influenced later websites such as Futaba Channel and 4chan;{{cite news|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/4chan-sold-by-moot-2channel-founder-hiroyuki-nishimura-1520594|title=4chan sold by Moot to 2channel founder Hiroyuki Nishimura|last=Cuthbertson|first=Anthony|date=September 21, 2015|work=International Business Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924165628/http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/4chan-sold-by-moot-2channel-founder-hiroyuki-nishimura-1520594|archive-date=September 24, 2015|url-status=live}} Nishimura lost 2channel's domain after it was seized by his registrar, Jim Watkins{{cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2014/03/20/digital/who-holds-the-deeds-to-gossip-bulletin-board-2channel/|title=Who holds the deeds to gossip bulletin board 2channel?|last=Akimoto|first=Akky|date=March 20, 2014|work=The Japan Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707035111/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2014/03/20/digital/who-holds-the-deeds-to-gossip-bulletin-board-2channel/|archive-date=July 7, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1404/01/news146.html|title=現2chは「違法な乗っ取り」状態──ひろゆき氏?が新サイト「2ch.sc」開設を予告|date=April 1, 2014|website=ITmedia ニュース|language=ja|access-date=September 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005130336/http://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1404/01/news146.html|archive-date=October 5, 2018|url-status=live|trans-title=The current 2ch is in an "illegal takeover" state — Mr. Hiroyuki? Announces launch of new site "2ch.sc"}} due the latter's alleged financial difficulties.{{cite web |url=http://pele.bbspink.com/test/read.cgi/erobbs/1383978434/554 |title=Let's talk with Jim-san. Part21 |first=Jim |last=Watkins |date=February 19, 2014 |website=Anago.2ch.net |quote=The previous management was not able to generate enough income to pay the bills for the expenses of running 2ch. Previously I allowed some autonomy to them. During that time my name has been slandered. The ability for 2ch to generate enough income to stay open was damaged. I hope that with proper management that 2ch can recover. |access-date=September 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928194513/http://pele.bbspink.com/test/read.cgi/erobbs/1383978434/554 |archive-date=September 28, 2018 |url-status=live }} Wired later reported that Japanese toy manufacturer Good Smile Company, Japanese telecommunication Dwango, and Nishimura's company Future Search Brazil may have helped facilitate Nishimura's purchase, with anonymous sources telling the publication that Good Smile obtained partial ownership in the website as compensation.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/story/who-owns-4chan/ |title=Who Owns 4chan? |first=Justin |last=Ling |date=May 26, 2022 |magazine=Wired |access-date=June 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526170642/https://www.wired.com/story/who-owns-4chan/ |archive-date=May 26, 2022 |url-status=live }}
In October 2016, it was reported that the site was facing financial difficulties that could lead to its closure or radical changes.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/oct/04/4chan-website-financial-trouble-martin-shkreli|title=Future of 4chan uncertain as controversial site faces financial woes|last=Woolf|first=Nicky|date=October 5, 2016|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=October 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005014335/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/oct/04/4chan-website-financial-trouble-martin-shkreli|archive-date=October 5, 2016|url-status=live}} In a post titled "Winter is Coming", Hiroyuki Nishimura explained, "We had tried to keep 4chan as is. But I failed. I am sincerely sorry", citing server costs, infrastructure costs, and network fees.{{cite news|url=https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/4chan-could-soon-be-shutdown-as-the-internets-most-notorious-community-goes-broke/news-story/17786695919e39682a2de307b152cfb2|title=4chan could soon be shutdown as the Internet's most notorious community goes broke|last=Dunn|first=Matthew|date=October 4, 2016|work=news.com.au|access-date=October 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005092426/http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/4chan-could-soon-be-shutdown-as-the-internets-most-notorious-community-goes-broke/news-story/17786695919e39682a2de307b152cfb2|archive-date=October 5, 2016|url-status=live}}
On November 17, 2018, it was announced that the site would be split into two, with the work-safe boards moved to a new domain, 4channel.org, while the NSFW boards would remain on the 4chan.org domain. In a series of posts on the topic, Nishimura explained that the split was due to 4chan being blacklisted by most advertising companies and that the new 4channel domain would allow for the site to receive advertisements by mainstream ad providers.{{cite web |title=HIRO WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING |url=https://www.archived.moe/qa/thread/2421255 |website=4chan (archived by Desuarchive) |date=November 17, 2018 |access-date=21 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121112858/https://desuarchive.org/qa/thread/2421255 |archive-date=21 November 2018}} All boards returned to the 4chan.org domain in December 2023 for unknown reasons, and 4channel.org now redirects to 4chan.org.
= 2020s =
In a 2020 interview with Vice Media, several current or past moderators spoke about what they perceived as racist intent behind the site's management. They alleged that a managing moderator, known online as RapeApe, was attempting to use the site as a recruitment tool for the alt-right, and that Nishimura was "hands-off, leaving moderation of the site primarily to RapeApe." Neither Nishimura nor RapeApe responded to these allegations.{{cite news|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-man-who-helped-turn-4chan-into-the-internets-racist-engine/|title=The Man Who Helped Turn 4chan Into the Internet's Racist Engine|last=Arthur|first=Rob|date=November 2, 2020|work=Vice Media|access-date=November 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118014552/https://www.vice.com/en/article/m7aap8/the-man-who-helped-turn-4chan-into-the-internets-racist-engine|archive-date=November 18, 2020|url-status=live}} Far-right extremism has been reported by public authorities, commentators and civil society groups as connected, in part, to 4chan, an association that had arisen by 2015.{{cite journal |last1=Colley |first1=Thomas |last2=Moore |first2=Martin |date=2022 |title=The challenges of studying 4chan and the Alt-Right: 'Come on in the water's fine' |journal=New Media & Society |language=en |volume=24 |issue=1 |pages=5–30 |doi=10.1177/1461444820948803 |s2cid=224920047 |issn=1461-4448|doi-access=free }}{{cite journal |last=Thorleifsson |first=Cathrine |date=2022 |title=From cyberfascism to terrorism: On 4chan/pol/ culture and the transnational production of memetic violence |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nana.12780 |journal=Nations and Nationalism |language=en |volume=28 |issue=1 |pages=286–301 |doi=10.1111/nana.12780 |hdl=10852/89597 |s2cid=244448434 |issn=1354-5078 |hdl-access=free |access-date=April 10, 2022 |archive-date=April 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408235745/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nana.12780 |url-status=live }} According to 4chan's filings to the New York Attorney General's Office, 4chan signed an agreement to pay RapeApe $3,000 a month for their services in 2015. By May 2022, that fee had risen to $4,400 a month. The submitted documents also revealed RapeApe lamenting that 4chan was "getting the shaft" over the Buffalo terrorist attack and his attempt to persuade the advertising platform Bid.Glass to reverse their exit from the website.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/story/4chan-moderation-buffalo-shooting|title=Inside 4chan's Top-Secret Moderation Machine|last=Ling|first=Justin|date=June 5, 2023|access-date=June 10, 2023|magazine=WIRED|archive-date=June 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609155045/https://www.wired.com/story/4chan-moderation-buffalo-shooting/|url-status=live}}
On April 14, 2025, 4chan was hacked by an anonymous user who later announced the hack on soyjak.party, a rival imageboard website with origins related to 4chan.{{Cite web |last=Cunningham |first=Andrew |date=2025-04-15 |title=4chan has been down since Monday night after “pretty comprehensive own” |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2025/04/internet-cesspit-4chan-apparently-hacked-mostly-unreachable-since-monday-night/ |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-US}} Source code and user logins of those who registered with emails were apparently acquired by the user and leaked online.{{Cite web |last=Dellinger |first=A. J. |date=2025-04-15 |title=Internet Cesspool 4chan Is Down After Alleged Hack, Rival Forum Users Claim Credit |url=https://gizmodo.com/internet-cesspool-4chan-is-down-after-alleged-hack-rival-forum-users-claim-credit-2000589582 |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=Gizmodo |language=en-US}} Additionally, the deleted /qa/ board was restored. On soyjak.party, information purporting to be from the hack was released, claiming "admin" level access, a lack of updates to the site since 2016, and identities of admins, among other claims.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-15 |title=4chan goes dark as alleged hacker attacks takes the website down |url=https://cybernews.com/security/4chan-down-hacker-data-breach-suspected/ |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=Cybernews |language=en-US}} One of the last known posts made on 4chan before it was taken down was the "Chicken jockey!" quote, taken from A Minecraft Movie.{{Cite web |last=Binder|first=Matt |date=2025-04-15 |title=4chan is down, reportedly hacked as of April 15|url=https://mashable.com/article/4chan-down-reportedly-hacked |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=Mashable|language=en-US}} In the days following the attacks, 4chan and Nishimura's official Twitter accounts released statements confirming that they would work to fix security vulnerabilities and return at a later date.{{Cite tweet |author=4chan |author-link=4chan |title=It takes time. |user=4chan |number=1912242601102844078 |date=April 15, 2025 |language=en |access-date=April 21, 2025 |link=https://x.com/4chan/status/1912242601102844078 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250415203941/https://x.com/4chan/status/1912242601102844078 |archive-date=April 15, 2025}}{{Cite tweet |author=4chan |author-link=4chan |title=We need time, cats, ponies and so on. |user=4chan |number=1912246563294044662 |date=April 15, 2025 |language=en |access-date=April 21, 2025 |link=https://x.com/4chan/status/1912246563294044662 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250415205532/https://x.com/4chan/status/1912246563294044662 |archive-date=April 15, 2025}}{{Cite tweet |last=Nishimura |first=Hiroyuki |author-link=Hiroyuki Nishimura |title=Later! |user=hirox246 |number=1912603340292448258 |date=April 16, 2025 |language=en |access-date=April 21, 2025 |link=https://x.com/hirox246/status/1912603340292448258 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250420213200/https://x.com/hirox246/status/1912603340292448258 |archive-date=April 20, 2025}}{{Cite tweet |author=4chan |author-link=4chan |title=Wired says "4chan Is Dead." Is that so? |user=4chan |number=1915075522536870068 |date=April 23, 2025 |language=en |access-date=April 23, 2025 |link=https://x.com/4chan/status/1915075522536870068 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250423173516/https://x.com/4chan/status/1915075522536870068 |archive-date=April 23, 2025}} The site returned on April 25.{{cite news |last1=Chen |first1=Jackson |title=4chan is back after a nearly two-week shutdown, but it still has some serious problems |url=https://www.engadget.com/social-media/4chan-is-back-after-a-nearly-two-week-shutdown-but-it-still-has-some-serious-problems-171124240.html |access-date=2 May 2025 |work=Engadget |date=27 April 2025}}
Due to its temporary unavailability, some users took to the site's Downdetector page, using its comment section as a temporary replacement for the website.{{Cite news |title=4chan is down: Hack suspicions grow as commenters turn Downdetector website into an alternate forum |last=Mattson |first=Jennifer |date=2025-04-15 |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/91317376/4chan-down-hacked-commenters-turn-to-downdetector-what-we-know |work=Fast Company}}
=Christopher Poole=
{{Main article|Christopher Poole}}
Poole concealed his real-life identity until it was revealed on July 9, 2008, in The Wall Street Journal. Prior to that, he had used the alias "moot".{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB121564928060441097|title=Modest Web Site Is Behind a Bevy of Memes|last=Brophy-Warren|first=Jamin|date=July 9, 2008|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=July 24, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829174144/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121564928060441097.html|archive-date=August 29, 2008 |url-status=live}}
In April 2009, an open Internet poll conducted by Time magazine voted Poole as the world's most influential person of 2008.{{cite magazine|last=Time Staff|date=2009-04-27|title=The World's Most Influential Person Is...|url=http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1894028,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090930234724/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1894028,00.html|archive-date=2009-09-30|access-date=2009-09-02|magazine=Time}} The results were questioned even before the poll completed, as automated voting programs and manual ballot stuffing were used to influence the vote.{{cite web |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2345987,00.asp |title=4Chan Followers Hack Time's 'Influential' Poll |last=Heater |first=Brian |publisher=PC Magazine |date=April 27, 2009 |access-date=April 27, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430151912/http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2345987,00.asp |archive-date=April 30, 2009 |url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/21/AR2009042101864.html|title=4Chan Takes Over The Time 100|last=Schonfeld|first=Erick|date=April 21, 2009|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=April 27, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110203819/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/21/AR2009042101864.html|archive-date=November 10, 2012|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://musicmachinery.com/2009/04/27/moot-wins-time-inc-loses/|title=moot wins, Time Inc. loses|date=April 27, 2009|website=Music Machinery|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503031919/http://musicmachinery.com/2009/04/27/moot-wins-time-inc-loses/|archive-date=May 3, 2009|url-status=live|access-date=September 2, 2009}} 4chan's interference with the vote seemed increasingly likely, when it was found that reading the first letter of the first 21 candidates in the poll spelled out a phrase containing two 4chan memes: "mARBLECAKE. ALSO, THE GAME."{{cite web |author=Reddit Top Links |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/reddit/also-the-work-of-4chan-pic |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415164347/http://www.buzzfeed.com/reddit/also-the-work-of-4chan-pic |archive-date=April 15, 2009 |title=Marble Cake Also the Game [PIC] |website=Buzzfeed.com |access-date=September 2, 2009}}
On September 12, 2009, Poole gave a talk regarding 4chan's reputation as a "Meme Factory" at the Paraflows Symposium in Vienna, Austria, which was part of the Paraflows 09 festival, themed Urban Hacking. In this talk, Poole mainly attributed this both to the anonymous system and to the lack of data retention on the site ("The site has no memory.").{{cite web |url=http://www.paraflows.at/index.php?id=131 |title=Paraflows 09, Program for Saturday, Sep 12 2009 |website=Paraflows.at |access-date=May 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511231956/http://www.paraflows.at/index.php?id=131 |archive-date=May 11, 2011 }}{{cite web |last=Herwig |first=Jana |url=http://digiom.wordpress.com/2010/04/06/moot-on-4chan-and-why-it-works-as-a-meme-factory/ |title=Moot on 4chan and why it works as a meme factory |website=Digiom Blog |date=April 6, 2010 |access-date=April 7, 2010 |archive-date=April 13, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413083032/http://digiom.wordpress.com/2010/04/06/moot-on-4chan-and-why-it-works-as-a-meme-factory/ |url-status=live }}
In April 2010, Poole testified in the trial United States of America v. David Kernell as a government witness,{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/7938394/Sarah-Palin-hacker-trial-provides-lolz-courtesy-of-4chan-founder.html |location=London |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |title=Sarah Palin hacker trial provides 'lolz' courtesy of 4chan founder |first=Alastair |last=Jamieson |date=August 11, 2010 |access-date=April 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707200333/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/7938394/Sarah-Palin-hacker-trial-provides-lolz-courtesy-of-4chan-founder.html |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=live }} explaining the terminology used on 4chan to the prosecutor, ranging from "OP" to "lurker", as well as the nature of the data given to the FBI as part of the search warrant, including how users can be uniquely identified from site audit logs.{{cite web |url=http://i.cdn.turner.com/dr/teg/tsg/release/sites/default/files/assets/poole-testimony.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820204109/http://i.cdn.turner.com/dr/teg/tsg/release/sites/default/files/assets/poole-testimony.pdf |archive-date=August 20, 2010 |title=Transcript of Chris Poole before the Honorable Thomas W. Phillips on April 22, 2010 |publisher=United States of America vs. David C. Kernell, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee Northern Division |date=April 22, 2010 |access-date=October 29, 2011}}
Notable boards
class="wikitable sortable collapsible floatright"
! Board ! Name ! NSFW ! Year created |
/3/
| 3DCG | {{No Y}} | 2005 |
/a/
| {{No Y}} | 2003 |
/aco/
| Adult Cartoons | {{Yes N}} | 2015 |
/adv/
| Advice | {{No Y}} | 2010 |
/an/
| Animals & Nature | {{No Y}} | 2006 |
/asp/
| Alternative Sports | {{No Y}} | 2013 |
/b/
| Random | {{Yes N}} | 2003 |
/bant/
| International/Random | {{Yes N}} | 2017 |
/biz/
| Business & Finance | {{No Y}} | 2014 |
/c/
| {{No Y}} | 2003 |
/cgl/
| Cosplay & EGL | {{No Y}} | 2006 |
/ck/
| Cooking | {{No Y}} | 2006 |
/cm/
| Cute/Male | {{No Y}} | 2004 |
/co/
| {{No Y}} | 2006 |
/d/
| Hentai/Alternative | {{Yes N}} | 2003 |
/diy/
| Do It Yourself | {{No Y}} | 2011 |
/e/
| Ecchi | {{Yes N}} | 2005 |
/fa/
| Fashion | {{No Y}} | 2008 |
/fit/
| Fitness | {{No Y}} | 2008 |
/g/
| Technology | {{No Y}} | 2003 |
/gd/
| Graphic Design | {{No Y}} | 2013 |
/gif/
| Adult GIF | {{Yes N}} | 2005 |
/h/
| Hentai | {{Yes N}} | 2003 |
/hc/
| Hardcore | {{Yes N}} | 2008 |
/his/
| History & Humanities | {{No Y}} | 2015 |
/hm/
| Handsome Men | {{Yes N}} | 2012 |
/hr/
| High Resolution | {{Yes N}} | 2005 |
/i/
| Oekaki | {{No Y}} | 2003 |
/ic/
| Artwork/Critique | {{No Y}} | 2005 |
/int/
| International | {{No Y}} | 2011 |
/jp/
| {{No Y}} | 2008 |
/k/
| Weapons | {{No Y}} | 2004 |
/lgbt/
| LGBT | {{No Y}} | 2013 |
/lit/
| Literature | {{No Y}} | 2010 |
/m/
| Mecha | {{No Y}} | 2004 |
/mlp/
| Pony | {{No Y}} | 2012 |
/mu/
| Music | {{No Y}} | 2006 |
/n/
| Transportation | {{No Y}} | 2006 |
/news/
| Current News | {{No Y}} | 2015 |
/o/
| Auto | {{No Y}} | 2004 |
/out/
| Outdoors | {{No Y}} | 2013 |
/p/
| Photography | {{No Y}} | 2005 |
/po/
| Papercraft & Origami | {{No Y}} | 2006 |
/pol/
| Politically Incorrect | {{Yes N}} | 2011 |
/pw/
| Professional Wrestling | {{No Y}} | 2021 |
/qa/
| Question & Answer | {{No Y}} | 2015 |
/qst/
| Quests | {{No Y}} | 2016 |
/r/
| Request | {{Yes N}} | 2004 |
/r9k/
| {{Yes N}} | 2008 |
/s/
| Sexy Beautiful Women | {{Yes N}} | 2003 |
/s4s/
| {{Yes N}} | 2013 |
/sci/
| Science & Math | {{No Y}} | 2010 |
/sp/
| Sports | {{No Y}} | 2006 |
/t/
| Torrents | {{Yes N}} | 2003 |
/tg/
| Traditional Games | {{No Y}} | 2007 |
/toy/
| Toys | {{No Y}} | 2008 |
/trash/
| Off-Topic | {{No Y}} | 2015 |
/trv/
| Travel | {{No Y}} | 2008 |
/tv/
| Television & Film | {{No Y}} | 2006 |
/u/
| Yuri | {{Yes N}} | 2004 |
/v/
| Video Games | {{No Y}} | 2004 |
/vg/
| Video Game Generals | {{No Y}} | 2012 |
/vip/
| Very Important Posts | {{No Y}} | 2016 |
/vm/
| Video Games/Multiplayer | {{No Y}} | 2020 |
/vmg/
| Video Games/Mobile | {{No Y}} | 2020 |
/vp/
| Pokémon | {{No Y}} | 2010 |
/vr/
| Retro Games | {{No Y}} | 2013 |
/vrpg/
| Video Games/RPG | {{No Y}} | 2020 |
/vst/
| Video Games/Strategy | {{No Y}} | 2020 |
/vt/
| {{No Y}} | 2021 |
/w/
| Anime/Wallpapers | {{No Y}} | 2003 |
/wg/
| Wallpapers/General | {{No Y}} | 2005 |
/wsg/
| Worksafe GIF | {{No Y}} | 2012 |
/wsr/
| Worksafe Requests | {{No Y}} | 2015 |
/x/
| Paranormal | {{No Y}} | 2007 |
/xs/
| Extreme Sports | {{No Y}} | 2021 |
/y/
| Yaoi | {{Yes N}} | 2003 |
{{anchor|b}}
=/b/=
{{main|/b/}}
The "random" board, /b/, follows the design of Futaba Channel's Nijiura ("Random") board. It was the first board created, and has been described as 4chan's most popular board, accounting for 30% of site traffic in 2009.{{cite web |url=http://fimoculous.com/archive/post-5738.cfm |title=An Interview With The Founder of 4chan |last=Sorgatz |first=Rex |website=Fimoculous.com |date=February 18, 2009 |access-date=May 18, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710113640/http://www.fimoculous.com/archive/post-5738.cfm |archive-date=July 10, 2009 |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=https://www.4chan.org/4channews.php?all#101|title=/b/|author=Poole|first=Christopher "moot"|author-link=Christopher Poole|date=July 11, 2008|website=4chan|access-date=July 14, 2008}}{{cite journal |last1=Bernstein |first1=Michael |last2=Monroy-Hernández |first2=Andrés |last3=Harry |first3=Drew |last4=André |first4=Paul |last5=Panovich |first5=Katrina |last6=Vargas |first6=Greg |title=4chan and /B/: An Analysis of Anonymity and Ephemerality in a Large Online Community |date=2011 |url=https://ojs.aaai.org/index.php/ICWSM/article/view/14134 |journal=Proceedings of the International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media |language=en |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=50–57 |doi=10.1609/icwsm.v5i1.14134 |s2cid=6382252 |issn=2334-0770 |doi-access=free |access-date=April 8, 2022 |archive-date=August 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801231632/https://ojs.aaai.org/index.php/ICWSM/article/view/14134 |url-status=live }} Gawker's Nick Douglas summarized /b/ as a board where "people try to shock, entertain, and coax free porn from each other."{{cite web |url=http://gawker.com/346385/what-the-hell-are-4chan-ed-something-awful-and-b |title=What The Hell Are 4chan, ED, Something Awful, And "b"? |website=Gawker.com |first=Nick |last=Douglas |date=January 18, 2008 |access-date=July 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724081826/http://gawker.com/346385/what-the-hell-are-4chan-ed-something-awful-and-b |archive-date=July 24, 2008 |url-status=live}} /b/ has a "no rules" policy, except for bans on certain illegal content, such as child pornography, invasions of other websites (posting floods of disruptive content), and under-18 viewing, all of which are inherited from site-wide rules. The "no invasions" rule was added in late 2006, after /b/ users spent most of that summer "invading" Habbo Hotel. The "no rules" policy also applies to actions of administrators and moderators, which means that users may be banned at any time, for any reason, including for no reason at all.{{cite web |title=4chan – Rules |url=https://www.4chan.org/rules |access-date=November 5, 2021 |website=4chan |archive-date=April 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220426030042/https://www.4chan.org/rules |url-status=live }} Due partially to its anonymous nature, board moderation is not always successful—indeed, the site's anti-child pornography rule is a subject of jokes on /b/. Christopher Poole told The New York Times, in a discussion on the moderation of /b/, that "the power lies in the community to dictate its own standards" and that site staff simply provided a framework.
The humor of /b/'s many users, who refer to themselves as "/b/tards",{{cite magazine |last=Schwartz |first=Mattathias |title=The Trolls Among Us |magazine=The New York Times Magazine|page=24 |date=August 3, 2008 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/magazine/03trolls-t.html |access-date=January 11, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211171348/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/magazine/03trolls-t.html |archive-date=December 11, 2008 |url-status=live}} is often incomprehensible to newcomers and outsiders, and is characterized by intricate inside jokes and dark comedy.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/gaming/virtualworlds/magazine/16-02/mf_goons?currentPage=all |title=Mutilated Furries, Flying Phalluses: Put the Blame on Griefers |first=Julian |last=Dibbell |author-link=Julian Dibbell |magazine=Wired |date=January 18, 2008 |access-date=January 18, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090512194229/http://www.wired.com/gaming/virtualworlds/magazine/16-02/mf_goons?currentPage=all |archive-date=May 12, 2009 |url-status=live }} Users often refer to each other, and much of the outside world, as fags. They are often referred to by outsiders as trolls, who regularly act with the intention of "doing it for the lulz", a corruption of "LOL" used to denote amusement at another's expense.{{cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/story.html?id=94f40e62-2db2-4917-8e21-e17b9a25b2db&p=1|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905013138/http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/story.html?id=94f40e62-2db2-4917-8e21-e17b9a25b2db&p=1|archive-date=September 5, 2012|title=You'll miss us when we're gone|last=Kay|first=Jonathan|date=August 6, 2008|newspaper=National Post|access-date=August 6, 2008|publisher=The National Post|location=Canada}} A significant amount of media coverage is in response to /b/'s culture, which has been characterized as adolescent, crude and spiteful, with one publication writing that their "bad behavior is encouraged by the site's total anonymity and the absence of an archive".{{cite news |last=Jeffries |first=Adrianne |date=January 31, 2011 |title=From the Creator of 4chan Comes the More Mature Canvas |journal=The New York Observer |url=http://www.observer.com/2011/tech/creator-4chan-comes-more-mature-canvas |access-date=February 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110204192120/http://www.observer.com/2011/tech/creator-4chan-comes-more-mature-canvas |archive-date=February 4, 2011 |df=mdy-all}} Douglas cited Encyclopedia Dramatica's definition of /b/ as "the asshole of the Internets [sic]". Mattathias Schwartz of The New York Times likened /b/ to "a high-school bathroom stall, or an obscene telephone party line", while Baltimore City Paper wrote that "in the high school of the Internet, /b/ is the kid with a collection of butterfly knives and a locker full of porn." Wired describes /b/ as "notorious".
{{anchor|GETs}}Each post is assigned a post number. Certain post numbers are sought after with a large amount of posting taking place to "GET" them. A "GET" occurs when a post's number ends in a special number, such as 12345678, 22222222, or every millionth post.{{cite web |url=https://www.4chan.org/faq.php#get |title=FAQ on GETs |website=4chan |access-date=March 14, 2007}} A sign of 4chan's scaling, according to Poole, was when GETs lost meaning due to the high post rate resulting in a GET occurring every few weeks. He estimated /b/'s post rate in July 2008 to be 150,000–200,000 posts per day.{{cite magazine |url=http://time-blog.com/nerd_world/2008/07/now_in_papervision_the_4chan_g.html |title=Now in Paper-Vision: The 4chan Guy |magazine=TIME |first=Lev |last=Grossman |author-link=Lev Grossman |date=July 10, 2008 |access-date=July 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828040709/http://www.time-blog.com/nerd_world/2008/07/now_in_papervision_the_4chan_g.html |archive-date=August 28, 2008 |url-status=dead}}
=/mlp/=
{{main|/mlp/}}
The My Little Pony board, /mlp/, titled as Pony, is dedicated to discussion of the animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and its associated fandom. Created on February 16, 2012, the board was established by Poole in response to the growing popularity of pony-related content flooding other boards, particularly /co/ and /b/.{{cite journal |last=Schimpf |first=Kaitlyn Elizabeth |title=Straight from the Horse's Mouth: A Case Study on the Adult Male Fans of My Little Pony |journal=MacEwan University Student eJournal |volume=2 |issue=1 |date=October 2015 |doi=10.31542/j.muse.192}} Along with the board's creation, Poole implemented "Global Rule 15" (GR15), which banned pony content outside of a few select boards, directing all such discussions to /mlp/.{{cite conference
| last1 = Abraham
| first1 = Kavi
| last2 = Marlin-Bennett
| first2 = Renee
| title = Cyberplace: Conceptualizing Power and Politics in Extended Reality
| conference = American Political Science Association 2013 Annual Meeting
| date = 2013-08-22
| pages = 26
| access-date = 2025-04-13
|url = https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2301241
}} The board became home to the "brony" fandom on 4chan, though many users on /mlp/ reject this label, preferring self-deprecating terms like horsefuckers or ponyfags.{{cite journal |last1=Bailey |first1=John |last2=Harvey |first2=Brenna |title='That pony is real sexy': My Little Pony fans, sexual abjection, and the politics of masculinity online |journal=Sexualities |date=2017 |volume=0 |issue=0 |pages=1–18 |doi=10.1177/1363460717731932 }} Notable events include a 2013 Q&A with Friendship Is Magic creator Lauren Faust{{cite book |last=Connelly |first=S. |title=Ponyville Confidential: The History and Culture of My Little Pony, 1981-2016 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E3VPDgAAQBAJ |year=2017 |publisher=McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers |isbn=9781476662091 |lccn=2016044897 |page=183}} and the board's temporary merger with /pol/ on April 1, 2017, creating "/mlpol/".{{cite web|url=https://mackenzierudd.medium.com/my-little-nazi-the-curious-link-between-the-alt-right-and-the-my-little-pony-fandom-13d753919418|first=Mackenzie|last=Rudd|title=My Little Nazi: The Curious Link Between the Alt-Right and the My Little Pony Fandom|website=Medium|date=2019-03-18|access-date=2025-04-13}} Despite the original series ending in 2019, /mlp/ continues to maintain an active community. The board has been the subject of academic research regarding masculinity and online identity, particularly in a 2017 ethnographic study published in the journal Sexualities that examined how users construct collective identity around their interest in the show and its characters.
=/mu/=
{{main|/mu/}}
The music board, /mu/, is dedicated to the discussion of music artists, albums, genres, and instruments.{{cite web |title=4chan - Rules |url=https://www.4chan.org/rules |website=4chan.org |access-date=December 20, 2021 |archive-date=April 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220426030042/https://www.4chan.org/rules |url-status=live }} Described as "4chan's best kept secret" and a "surprisingly artistic side of 4chan", /mu/ is used by users to share their music interests with similar minds and discover "great music they would never have found otherwise" with many moments of insightful candor that can affirm or challenge their own musical tastes.{{cite web|last=Flanagan|first=Ian|title=/mu/: 4chan's best kept secret|url=https://pittnews.com/article/109829/arts-and-entertainment/music/mu-4chans-best-kept-secret/|date=20 August 2016|website=The Pitt News|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=December 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221012711/https://pittnews.com/article/109829/arts-and-entertainment/music/mu-4chans-best-kept-secret/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=LaPine|first=John|title=28 Years of Daft Punk: A Retrospective|url=https://www.drunkmonkeys.us/2017-posts/2021/4/5/music-28-years-of-daft-punk-a-retrospective-john-lapine|date=5 April 2017|website=Drunk Monkeys|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=December 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221012713/https://www.drunkmonkeys.us/2017-posts/2021/4/5/music-28-years-of-daft-punk-a-retrospective-john-lapine|url-status=live}} The board has gained notoriety for earnestly focusing upon and promoting challenging and otherwise obscure music.{{cite web|last=Fidock|first=Reuben|title=What Does 4Chan Think of Justin Bieber Producing EDM?|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/what-does-4chan-think-of-justin-bieber-producing-edm/|date=21 October 2014|website=Vice|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=December 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221153319/https://www.vice.com/en/article/mg4d43/what-does-4chan-think-of-justin-bieber-producing-edm|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=I Love You, Jesus Christ: Bersain Beristain talks Even Oxen, Neutral Milk Hotel, and the Book of Revelation|url=https://spirityouallmusic.com/blog/interviews/bersain-beristain-even-oxen|date=17 August 2016|website=Spirit You All|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=December 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221012725/https://spirityouallmusic.com/blog/interviews/bersain-beristain-even-oxen|url-status=dead}} Some common genres discussed on /mu/ include shoegaze,{{cite web|last=Fishman|first=Hunter|title=Shoegaze: A Complex History of a Powerful Sound 1963-2021|url=https://newsweed.com/shoegaze-a-complex-history-of-a-powerful-sound-1963-2021/culture/|date=17 June 2021|website=Newsweed|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=December 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221012711/https://newsweed.com/shoegaze-a-complex-history-of-a-powerful-sound-1963-2021/culture/|url-status=live}} experimental hip hop, witch house,{{cite web|last=Barone|first=Joshua|title=Conrad Tao Was Never Just Another Prodigy|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/15/arts/music/conrad-tao-carnegie-hall.html|date=15 November 2019|website=New York Times|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=December 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221012711/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/15/arts/music/conrad-tao-carnegie-hall.html|url-status=live}} IDM,{{cite thesis |last=Nicholls |first=Parker |date=2021 |title=Braindancing Through the Mainstream: Intelligent Dance Music as Popular Music |publisher=Carleton University |page=86 |url=https://curve.carleton.ca/75d18bcb-c533-4d39-ab7e-970f2fd5a080 |access-date=June 10, 2022 |archive-date=June 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220610003554/https://curve.carleton.ca/75d18bcb-c533-4d39-ab7e-970f2fd5a080 |url-status=live }} midwest emo,{{cite web |last=De Sá|first=Mateus|title=The Summer Ends: The Story of Midwest Emo|url=https://thenewcollection.blog/2021/01/14/the-summer-ends-the-story-of-midwest-emo/|date=14 January 2021 |website=The New Collection|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221012720/https://thenewcollection.blog/2021/01/14/the-summer-ends-the-story-of-midwest-emo/|archive-date=21 December 2021}} vaporwave,{{cite journal |last=Glitsos |first=Laura |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321689541 |title=Vaporwave, or music optimised for abandoned malls |date=June 2018 |journal=Popular Music |volume=37 |issue=1 |pages=100–118 |doi=10.1017/S0261143017000599 |s2cid=165274914 |doi-access=free |access-date=June 10, 2022 |archive-date=June 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614235459/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321689541_Vaporwave_or_music_optimised_for_abandoned_malls |url-status=live |issn=0261-1430}} and K-pop. There is a significant overlap between user bases of /mu/ and music site Rate Your Music.{{cite web|last=Press-Reynolds|first=Kieran|title=How Dismiss Yourself Became a Hub for Internet Weirdness|url=https://daily.bandcamp.com/label-profile/dismiss-yourself-label-profile|date=8 July 2021|website=Bandcamp Daily|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=December 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221012710/https://daily.bandcamp.com/label-profile/dismiss-yourself-label-profile|url-status=live}} The board's culture has inspired many online music communities and meme pages on social media that emulate /mu/'s posting style.{{cite web |last=Murray|first=Owen|title=Patrician Music Chartposting: Toxic Pretension in the Internet Age|url=http://www.wecb.fm/milkcrate/patricianmusicchartposting|date=February 15, 2019 |access-date=July 28, 2022|website=WECB.fm|publisher=Emerson College|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221012711/http://www.wecb.fm/milkcrate/patricianmusicchartposting|archive-date=December 21, 2021|url-status=live}}
Publications such as Pitchfork and Entertainment Weekly noted the board played a significant role in popularizing various music artists, such as Death Grips,{{cite web|last=Cohen|first=Ian|title=Death Grips — Year of the Snitch|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/death-grips-year-of-the-snitch/|date=28 June 2018|website=Pitchfork|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=December 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211218145356/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/death-grips-year-of-the-snitch/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Herndl|first=Matheus|title=Death Grips' 'The Money Store' turns 10: A look back at one of the most influential albums of the 2010's|url=https://ndsmcobserver.com/2022/04/death-grips-the-money-store/|date=14 April 2022|website=The Observer|access-date=10 June 2022|archive-date=April 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423052113/https://ndsmcobserver.com/2022/04/death-grips-the-money-store/|url-status=live}} Neutral Milk Hotel,{{cite web|last=Winkie|first=Luke|url=https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/hipster-indie-rock-meme-neutral-milk-hotel-in-the-aeroplane-over-the-sea/|title=There will never be a more hipster meme than Neutral Milk Hotel's 'In the Aeroplane Over the Sea'|website=The Daily Dot|date=April 12, 2016|access-date=10 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218174625/https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/hipster-indie-rock-meme-neutral-milk-hotel-in-the-aeroplane-over-the-sea/|archive-date=February 18, 2020|url-status=live}} Car Seat Headrest,{{cite magazine|last=Renner Brown|first=Eric|title=Car Seat Headrest's Will Toledo talks 4chan, Green Day, and why drugs suck|url=https://ew.com/article/2016/05/20/car-seat-headrest-teens-of-denial/|date=20 May 2016|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=December 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221012710/https://ew.com/article/2016/05/20/car-seat-headrest-teens-of-denial/|url-status=live}} and Have a Nice Life.{{cite web|last=Hill|first=Joe|title=Have a Nice Life's 'Deathconsciousness' Is the Next Greatest Album of All Time|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/have-a-nice-life-deathconsciousness-retrospective/|date=24 November 2014|website=Vice|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=October 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027014410/https://www.vice.com/en/article/r7pz8z/have-a-nice-life-deathconsciousness-retrospective|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Lyons|first=Patrick|title=Have a Nice Life On Their Anxiety-Driven Third Album, "Sea of Worry"|url=https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/have-a-nice-life-sea-of-worry-interview|date=11 November 2019|website=Bandcamp Daily|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=January 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112012736/https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/have-a-nice-life-sea-of-worry-interview|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Gordon|first=Arielle|title=Have a Nice Life — Sea of Worry|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/have-a-nice-life-sea-of-worry/|date=12 November 2019|website=Pitchfork|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=November 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112083652/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/have-a-nice-life-sea-of-worry/|url-status=live}} Prominent music critic Anthony Fantano began his career on /mu/ and developed a significant following there.{{cite web|last=Coscarelli|first=Joe|title=The Only Music Critic Who Matters (if You're Under 25)|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/30/arts/music/anthony-fantano-the-needle-drop.html|date=30 September 2020|website=New York Times|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=July 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720095514/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/30/arts/music/anthony-fantano-the-needle-drop.html|url-status=live}} Some artists, like Zeal & Ardor and Conrad Tao, admitted to posting their music anonymously on /mu/ to get honest feedback, as well as find inspiration from the board.{{cite web|last=Kelly|first=Kim|title=The Real Story Behind the Spiritual Black Metal Blues of Zeal and Ardor's 'Devil Is Fine'|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/zeal-and-ardor-interview/|date=7 July 2016|website=Noisey|publisher=Vice Media|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=December 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221012709/https://www.vice.com/en/article/6wqvnb/zeal-and-ardor-interview|url-status=live}} In particular, Zeal & Ardor said their sound, which mixes black metal with spirituals, came from suggestions by two users. Andrew W.K. did a Q&A with the board's users in 2011, causing the servers to crash from the increased traffic.{{cite web|last=Read|first=Max|title=Andrew W.K. Apparently Crashed 4chan by Partying Too Hard|url=https://www.gawker.com/5759418/andrew-wk-apparently-crashed-4chan-by-partying-too-hard|date=February 13, 2011|access-date=June 24, 2022|website=Gawker|archive-date=February 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226112714/http://gawker.com/5759418%2Fandrew-wk-apparently-crashed-4chan-by-partying-too-hard|url-status=dead}} Death Grips seeded various clues on /mu/ in 2012 about their then-upcoming albums The Money Store and No Love Deep Web.{{cite web|last=Zadeh|first=Joe|title=Musician rebels embrace darknet to explore uncensored internet frontiers|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/sep/23/musicians-embrace-darknet-uncensored-internet-web-surveillance|date=23 September 2014|website=The Guardian|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=December 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221012711/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/sep/23/musicians-embrace-darknet-uncensored-internet-web-surveillance|url-status=live}} A rendition of "Royals" by Lorde appeared on /mu/ in 2012 before its official release, although she denied ever writing on the board in 2014.{{cite web|last=Hopewell|first=Luke|title=Lorde Posted 'Royals' To 4chan Before It Hit #1|url=https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/02/lorde-posted-royals-to-4chan-before-it-hit-1/|date=4 February 2014|website=Gizmodo|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=May 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506221455/https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/02/lorde-posted-royals-to-4chan-before-it-hit-1/|url-status=live}} Singer Lauren Mayberry shared on Twitter in 2015 a link to a thread on /mu/ about her band's song "Leave a Trace" to showcase what online misogyny looks like.{{cite web|last=Wyat|first=Daisy|title=Chvrches singer Lauren Mayberry responds to misogynistic 4chan abuse over new music video 'Leave a Trace'|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/chvrches-singer-lauren-mayberry-responds-to-misogynistic-online-abuse-over-new-music-video-leave-a-trace-a6064656.html|date=19 August 2015|website=The Independent|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=December 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221012710/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/chvrches-singer-lauren-mayberry-responds-to-misogynistic-online-abuse-over-new-music-video-leave-a-trace-a6064656.html|url-status=live}} An alleged unreleased Radiohead song, titled "Putting Ketchup in the Fridge" and "How Do You Sit Still", was initially reported as genuine by NME and Spin until CNN revealed it was a hoax promoted by the board's users.{{cite web|last=Abramovitch|first=Seth|title=Long Lost Radiohead Song 'Putting Ketchup in the Fridge' is Probably Fake|url=https://www.gawker.com/5870677/long-lost-radiohead-song-putting-ketchup-in-the-fridge-is-probably-fake|date=December 22, 2011|access-date=July 28, 2022|website=Gawker|archive-date=August 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802122700/https://www.gawker.com/5870677/long-lost-radiohead-song-putting-ketchup-in-the-fridge-is-probably-fake|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last=Goodwyn|first=Tom|title=Lost Radiohead track 'How Do You Sit Still' revealed as a hoax – audio|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/radiohead-212-1280823|date=December 30, 2011|access-date=August 1, 2022|website=NME|archive-date=August 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811155222/https://www.nme.com/news/music/radiohead-212-1280823|url-status=live}}
The board has been acknowledged for sharing rare music recordings and unreleased materials, as well as finding albums thought to be lost. Notable examples include the works of Duster,{{cite web|last=Lorusso|first=Marissa|title=The Old Disappearing-Reappearing Band Trick|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/03/22/705591894/the-old-disappearing-reappearing-band-trick?t=1640031672120|access-date=July 28, 2022|date=March 22, 2019|website=NPR|archive-date=December 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221012710/https://www.npr.org/2019/03/22/705591894/the-old-disappearing-reappearing-band-trick?t=1640031672120|url-status=live}} D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L by Panchiko,{{cite web|last=Wilson|first=Robyn|title=Panchiko: How a Mysterious Shoegaze Album Sparked an Global InterSearch|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/panchiko-band-death-metal-cd/|access-date=9 June 2022|date=2 February 2022|website=Vice|archive-date=February 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219063447/https://www.vice.com/en/article/akvjmb/panchiko-band-death-metal-cd|url-status=live}} and All Lights Fucked on the Hairy Amp Drooling by Godspeed You! Black Emperor.{{cite web|last=Helmen|first=Peter|title=Godspeed You! Black Emperor's Lost Debut Album Appears To Surface Online After 27 Years|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2175137/godspeed-you-black-emperors-lost-debut-album-appears-to-surface-online-after-27-years/news/|access-date=9 June 2022|date=5 February 2022|website=Stereogum|archive-date=August 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801223716/https://www.stereogum.com/2175137/godspeed-you-black-emperors-lost-debut-album-appears-to-surface-online-after-27-years/news/|url-status=live}} This was described by NPR as resembling "a secret club of preservationists obsessed with the articulation of a near-dead language". The board has attracted further attention for various projects done by its users. A group called The Pablo Collective posted a 4-track remix album of Kanye West's The Life of Pablo titled The Death of Pablo to /mu/, claiming it was based on a recurring dream from one of the board's users.{{cite web|last=Darville|first=Jordan|title=4Chan Remixed The Life Of Pablo Into A Four-Track Experiment Based On A Recurring Dream|url=https://www.thefader.com/2017/02/02/the-death-of-pablo-kanye-west-4chan-remix|access-date=9 June 2022|date=2 February 2017|website=Fader|archive-date=June 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609015348/https://www.thefader.com/2017/02/02/the-death-of-pablo-kanye-west-4chan-remix|url-status=live}} A role-playing game based on Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, designed with help from the board's users, received coverage from Polygon{{cite web|last=Garrett|first=Martin|title=Hitler, a potato and a flaming piano: How a '90s rock band inspired a fan-made JRPG|url=https://www.polygon.com/2013/1/16/3876874/neutral-milk-hotel-game|access-date=10 June 2022|date=16 January 2013|website=Polygon|archive-date=November 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119121200/https://www.polygon.com/2013/1/16/3876874/neutral-milk-hotel-game|url-status=live}} and Pitchfork.{{cite web|last=Stosuy|first=Brandon|title=Listen: Jeff Mangum Covers Roky Erickson Live; Plus Neutral Milk Hotel: The Video Game|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/43588-listen-jeff-mangum-covers-roky-erickson-live-plus-neutral-milk-hotel-the-video-game/|access-date=10 June 2022|date=19 August 2011|website=Pitchfork|archive-date=January 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220104065223/https://pitchfork.com/news/43588-listen-jeff-mangum-covers-roky-erickson-live-plus-neutral-milk-hotel-the-video-game/|url-status=live}}
=/pol/=
{{main|/pol/}}
/pol/ ("Politically Incorrect") is 4chan's political discussion board. A stickied thread on its front page states that the board's intended purpose is "discussion of news, world events, political issues, and other related topics."{{citation |title=/pol/ - Politically Incorrect|date=April 6, 2014|work=4chan}} /pol/ was created in October 2011 as a rebranding of 4chan's news board, /new/,{{cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ED9XDwAAQBAJ&dq=%224chan%22+%22/pol/%22&pg=PT1634 |title=The SAGE Encyclopedia of the Internet |date=2018-05-15 |publisher=SAGE Publications |isbn=978-1-5264-5043-2 |editor-last=Warf |editor-first=Barney |language=en |access-date=May 27, 2022 |archive-date=August 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801235037/https://books.google.com/books?id=ED9XDwAAQBAJ&dq=%224chan%22+%22/pol/%22&pg=PT1634 |url-status=live }}{{Citation |last=Beyer |first=Jessica L. |title=Trolls and Hacktivists: Political Mobilization from Online Communities |date=2021-11-10 |url=https://oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197510636.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780197510636-e-47 |work=The Oxford Handbook of Digital Media Sociology |editor-last=Rohlinger |editor-first=Deana A. |publisher=Oxford University Press |language=en |doi=10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197510636.013.47 |isbn=978-0-19-751063-6 |access-date=2022-05-22 |editor2-last=Sobieraj |editor2-first=Sarah |archive-date=May 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526142813/https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197510636.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780197510636-e-47 |url-status=live }} which was deleted that January for a high volume of racist discussion.
Although there had previously been a strong left-libertarian contingent to 4chan activists, there was a gradual rightward turn on 4chan's politics board in the early-mid 2010s, with the fundamentalist approach to free speech contributing.{{sfn|Nagle|2017|p=13}} The board quickly attracted posters with a political persuasion that later would be described with a new term, the alt-right.{{cite book|last=Wendling|first=Mike|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5_jCuQEACAAJ|title=Alt-Right: From 4chan to the White House|date=2018|publisher=Pluto Press|isbn=978-1-78680-237-8|language=en|access-date=November 29, 2020|archive-date=February 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204043321/https://books.google.com/books?id=5_jCuQEACAAJ|url-status=live}} Media sources have characterized /pol/ as predominantly racist and sexist, with many of its posts taking an explicitly neo-Nazi bent.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/09/25/absolutely-everything-you-need-to-know-to-understand-4chan-the-internets-own-bogeyman/|title=Absolutely everything you need to know to understand 4chan, the Internet's own bogeyman|last=Dewey|first=Caitlin|date=September 25, 2014|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=October 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722112859/http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/09/25/absolutely-everything-you-need-to-know-to-understand-4chan-the-internets-own-bogeyman/|archive-date=July 22, 2015|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/dylann-roof-4chan-and-the-new-online-racism|title=Dylann Roof, 4chan, and the New Online Racism|last=Siegel|first=Jacob|date=June 29, 2015|newspaper=The Daily Beast|access-date=July 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170602203118/http://www.thedailybeast.com/dylann-roof-4chan-and-the-new-online-racism|archive-date=June 2, 2017|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dailydot.com/lifestyle/4chan-end-fathers-day/|title=#EndFathersDay is the work of 4chan, not feminists|last=Alfonso|first=Fernando III|date=July 13, 2014|website=The Daily Dot|access-date=July 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629045924/http://www.dailydot.com/lifestyle/4chan-end-fathers-day/|archive-date=June 29, 2015|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.vocativ.com/usa/race/4chan-deehubs/|title=4chan Trolls Take Over Electronic Billboard, Racism Ensues|last=Schwartz|first=Or|date=December 7, 2014|website=Vocativ|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180111165857/https://www.vocativ.com/usa/race/4chan-deehubs/|archive-date=January 11, 2018|access-date=July 17, 2015}} The site's far-reaching culture of vitriolic and discriminatory content is "most closely associated" with /pol/, although only it features predominant Alt-Right beliefs; /pol/, like other boards, has been prominent in the dissemination of memes, in cases, featuring coordination to disperse Alt-Right sentiments. /pol/ "increasingly became synonymous with 4chan as a whole".{{cite journal |last=Hagen |first=Sal |date=2022 |title='Who is /ourguy/?': Tracing panoramic memes to study the collectivity of 4chan/pol/ |journal=New Media & Society |volume=26 |issue=4 |language=en |pages=1735–1755 |doi=10.1177/14614448221078274 |s2cid=246726080 |issn=1461-4448|doi-access=free }} The Southern Poverty Law Center regards /pol/'s rhetorical style as widely emulated by white supremacist websites such as The Daily Stormer; the Stormer{{'}}s editor, Andrew Anglin, concurred. /pol/ was where screenshots of Trayvon Martin's hacked social media accounts were initially posted.{{cite magazine|last=Bankoff|first=Caroline|date=March 29, 2012|title=White Supremacist Claims to Have Hacked Trayvon Martin's Email, Social Media Accounts|url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2012/03/white-supremacist-claims-to-have-hacked-trayvon-martins-email-social-media-accounts.html|magazine=New York|access-date=July 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722020322/http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2012/03/white-supremacist-claims-to-have-hacked-trayvon-martins-email-social-media-accounts.html|archive-date=July 22, 2015|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/29/bloggers-cherry-pick-from-social-media-to-cast-trayvon-martin-as-a-menace/|title=Bloggers Cherry-Pick From Social Media to Cast Trayvon Martin as a Menace|last=Mackey|first=Robert|date=March 29, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=July 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150911052521/http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/29/bloggers-cherry-pick-from-social-media-to-cast-trayvon-martin-as-a-menace/|archive-date=September 11, 2015|url-status=live}} The board's users have started antifeminist, homophobic, transphobic, and anti-Arab Twitter campaigns.{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/trolls-4chan-online-feminism-women-of-color/|title=What the Internet's Most Infamous Trolls Tell Us About Online Feminism|last=Eördögh|first=Fruzsina|date=June 20, 2014|website=Vice News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231014510/https://motherboard.vice.com/blog/trolls-4chan-online-feminism-women-of-color|archive-date=December 31, 2016|url-status=live|access-date=July 17, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://mic.com/articles/118862/trolls-are-paying-twitter-to-promote-hate-speech-and-there-s-nothing-stopping-them#.1tLKivnDe|title=Trolls Are Paying Twitter to Promote Hate Speech – And There's Nothing Stopping Them|last=Plenke|first=Max|date=May 20, 2015|website=Mic|access-date=July 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721184019/http://mic.com/articles/118862/trolls-are-paying-twitter-to-promote-hate-speech-and-there-s-nothing-stopping-them#.1tLKivnDe|archive-date=July 21, 2015|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Is LGBT Adding a 'P' for Pedosexual?|url=https://www.snopes.com/lgbtp-no-lgbt-is-not-adding-a-p-for-pedosexual/|website=Snopes|date=December 7, 2017|last=Evon|first=Dan}}
Many /pol/ users favored Donald Trump during his 2016 United States presidential campaign. Both Trump and his son, Donald Trump Jr., appeared to acknowledge the support by tweeting /pol/-associated memes. Upon his successful election, a /pol/ moderator embedded a pro-Trump video at the top of all of the board's pages.{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Oliver |title=Understanding Trump's Troll Army |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/understanding-trumps-troll-army/ |website=Motherboard |publisher=Vice Media |access-date=14 July 2017 |date=13 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720023746/https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/bmvnq4/understanding-trumps-troll-army |archive-date=July 20, 2017 |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/11/09/we-actually-elected-a-meme-as-president-how-4chan-celebrated-trumps-victory/|title='We actually elected a meme as president': How 4chan celebrated Trump's victory|last1=Ohlheiser|first1=Abby|date=9 November 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=14 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711053757/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/11/09/we-actually-elected-a-meme-as-president-how-4chan-celebrated-trumps-victory/|archive-date=July 11, 2017|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.vocativ.com/239143/donald-trump-embraces-his-4chan-fans/|title=Donald Trump Embraces His 4Chan Fans|last1=Steinblatt|first1=Jacob|date=October 15, 2015|website=Vocativ|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820202123/https://www.vocativ.com/239143/donald-trump-embraces-his-4chan-fans/|archive-date=August 20, 2017|access-date=July 14, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/03/memes-4chan-trump-supporters-trolls-internet-214856|title=World War Meme|last1=Schreckinger|first1=Ben|date=March–April 2017|website=Politico|access-date=July 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713015345/http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/03/memes-4chan-trump-supporters-trolls-internet-214856|archive-date=July 13, 2017|url-status=live}}
=/r9k/=
/r9k/ is a board that implements Randall Munroe's "ROBOT9000" algorithm, where no exact reposts are permitted.[https://desuarchive.org/r9k/thread/23675485/#23675485 "Welcome to /r9k/]: /r9k/ is an imageboard where there are no exact reposts." (archive) (2015-10-24) [accessed 20-07-18] It is credited as the origin of the "greentext" rhetorical style which often center around stories of social interactions and resulting ineptness.Agustin IV, Morado (2016). From readerly to writerly (and back again): a rhetorical analysis of greentext stories. Northern Illinois University. By 2012, personal confession stories of self-loathing, depression, and attempted suicide began to supersede /b/-style roleplaying, otaku, and video game discussion.Anthony McCosker, Sonja Vivienne, Amelia Johns (Oct 12, 2016) Negotiating Digital Citizenship: Control, Contest and Culture. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 134. {{ISBN|9781783488902}}Alt, Matt (Jun 23, 2020). Pure Invention: How Japan's Pop Culture Conquered the World. Crown. p. 273. {{ISBN|9781984826701}}.
It became a popular gathering place for the controversial online incel community.{{cite news |last1=Dewey |first1=Caitlin |title=Incels, 4chan and the Beta Uprising: making sense of one of the Internet's most-reviled subcultures |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/10/07/incels-4chan-and-the-beta-uprising-making-sense-of-one-of-the-internets-most-reviled-subcultures/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 7, 2015 |access-date=September 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225334/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/10/07/incels-4chan-and-the-beta-uprising-making-sense-of-one-of-the-internets-most-reviled-subcultures/ |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Beauchamp |first1=Zack |title=Our incel problem |url=https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/4/16/18287446/incel-definition-reddit |website=VOX.com |access-date=27 September 2019 |date=April 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008003701/https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/4/16/18287446/incel-definition-reddit |archive-date=October 8, 2019 |url-status=live }} The "beta uprising" or "beta rebellion" meme, the idea of taking revenge against women, jocks and others perceived as the cause of incels' problems, was popularized on the subsection.{{cite magazine |last=Boake |first=Kathy |date=March 2016 |title=The New Man of 4Chan |url=https://thebaffler.com/salvos/new-man-4chan-nagle |magazine=The Baffler |location=New York City |access-date=September 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190918040602/https://thebaffler.com/salvos/new-man-4chan-nagle |archive-date=September 18, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Cole |first1=Gina |title=What is 4chan? Website under scrutiny after shootings |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/what-is-4chan/ |work=The Seattle Times |date=October 1, 2015 |access-date=September 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190928003235/https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/what-is-4chan/ |archive-date=September 28, 2019 |url-status=live }} The perpetrator of the Toronto van attack referenced 4chan and an incel rebellion in a Facebook post he made prior to the attack, while praising self-identified incel Elliot Rodger, the killer behind the 2014 Isla Vista killings.{{cite news |last1=Branson-Potts |first1=Hailey |last2=Winton |first2=Richard |title=How Elliot Rodger went from misfit mass murderer to 'saint' for group of misogynists — and suspected Toronto killer |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-elliot-rodger-incel-20180426-story.html |access-date=27 September 2019 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=April 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822204434/https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-elliot-rodger-incel-20180426-story.html |archive-date=August 22, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Bacon |first1=John |title=Incel: What it is and why Alek Minassian praised Elliot Rodger |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/04/25/incel-what-and-why-alek-minassian-praised-elliot-rodger/549577002/ |access-date=27 September 2019 |work=USA Today |date=April 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190928003234/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/04/25/incel-what-and-why-alek-minassian-praised-elliot-rodger/549577002/ |archive-date=September 28, 2019 |url-status=live }} He claims to have talked with both Harper-Mercer and Rodger on Reddit and 4chan and believes that he was part of a "beta uprising", also posting a message on 4chan about his intention the day before his attack.{{cite news |last1=Humphreys |first1=Adrian |title='It was time that I stood up to the Chads and Stacys': What the van-attack accused told Toronto police |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/toronto-van-attack-police-interview |access-date=27 September 2019 |work=National Post |date=September 27, 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Lamoureux |first1=Mack |title=Toronto Van Attacker Wanted 'Beta Uprising' to Inspire Other Attacks |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/toronto-van-attacker-alek-minassian-wanted-beta-uprising-to-inspire-other-attacks/ |access-date=27 September 2019 |work=VICE |date=September 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190928003236/https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/xwev94/toronto-van-attacker-alek-minassian-wanted-beta-uprising-to-inspire-other-attacks |archive-date=September 28, 2019 |url-status=live }}
=/sci/=
/sci/ is 4chan's science and mathematics board. On September 26, 2011, an anonymous user on /sci/ posted a question regarding the shortest possible way to watch all possible orders of episodes of the anime The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya in nonchronological order. Shortly after, an anonymous user responded with a mathematical proof that argued viewers would have to watch at least 93,884,313,611 episodes to see all possible orderings. Seven years later, professional mathematicians recognized the mathematical proof as a partial solution to a superpermutations problem that was unsolved for 25 years. Australian mathematician Greg Egan later published a proof inspired by the proof from the anonymous 4chan user, both of which are recognized as significant advances to the problem.{{cite news |last1=Klarreich |first1=Erica |title=Mystery Math Whiz and Novelist Advance Permutation Problem |url=https://www.quantamagazine.org/sci-fi-writer-greg-egan-and-anonymous-math-whiz-advance-permutation-problem-20181105/ |work=Quanta Magazine |date=5 November 2018 |language=en |access-date=March 16, 2022 |archive-date=October 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211003162611/https://www.quantamagazine.org/sci-fi-writer-greg-egan-and-anonymous-math-whiz-advance-permutation-problem-20181105/ |url-status=live }}
=/v/=
/v/ is 4chan's video games board. The board has spawned multiple Internet memes, most notably the NPC Wojak in 2016 (derived from the gaming term non-player character to describe those who do not think for themselves or make their own conscious decisions).{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/23/17991274/npc-meme-4chan-press-coverage-viral |title=The NPC meme went viral when the media gave it oxygen - The Verge |date=October 23, 2018 |website=www.theverge.com |publisher=Vox Media |access-date=December 23, 2019 |archive-date=December 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220030609/https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/23/17991274/npc-meme-4chan-press-coverage-viral |url-status=live }}
=/x/=
{{main|/x/}}
File:SCP Foundation (emblem).svg originated on /x/ in 2007.]]
The "paranormal" board, /x/, is dedicated to discussing topics regarding unexplained phenomena, the supernatural, and non-political conspiracy theories. /x/ was initially launched in January 2005 as 4chan's general photography board; in February 2007, it was repurposed as a paranormal-themed board.{{cite web |last=Alonso |first=Fernando |date=2013-08-27 |title=Meet 4chan's /x/philes, investigators of the Internet's strangest mysteries |url=https://www.dailydot.com/irl/4chan-x-paranormal-board-creepy-pronunciation-book-mysteries/ |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=The Daily Dot |language=en |archive-date=May 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506203802/https://www.dailydot.com/irl/4chan-x-paranormal-board-creepy-pronunciation-book-mysteries/ |url-status=live }}
Many of the earliest creepypastas (Internet horror-related legends) were created on /x/.{{cite web|last=Chess|first=Shira|date=2016-10-14|title=Sinister Clown Sightings Are a Manifestation of Fear|url=https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2016/10/14/whats-behind-the-spreading-creepy-clown-hysteria/sinister-clown-sightings-are-a-manifestation-of-fear|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170624040740/https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2016/10/14/whats-behind-the-spreading-creepy-clown-hysteria/sinister-clown-sightings-are-a-manifestation-of-fear|archive-date=June 24, 2017|access-date=2022-07-16|website=The New York Times}} The idea of the Backrooms gained popularity thanks to a thread on /x/ created on 12 May 2019, where the users were asked to "post disquieting images that just feel 'off'." There, the first photo depicting the Backrooms was uploaded and another user commented on it with the first story about the Backrooms, claiming that one enters the Backrooms when they "noclip out of reality in the wrong areas". After the 4chan post gained fame, several Internet users wrote horror stories relating to the Backrooms. Many memes were created and shared across social media, further popularizing the creepypasta.{{cite web |url=https://happymag.tv/the-backrooms/ |title=The Backrooms: an eerie phenomenon lies behind these familiar hallways |date=3 August 2021 |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=Happy Mag |last=Patston |first=Manning |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201130114/https://happymag.tv/the-backrooms/ |archive-date=1 February 2022}}
American model Allison Harvard first gained notoriety in 2005 as an Internet meme on the /x/ board where she became known as Creepy Chan.{{cite magazine |last=Poulsen |first=Kevin |url=https://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/05/creepycha/ |title='Anonymous' Pin-Up Girl Is Runner-Up For America's Next Top Model |magazine=Wired |publisher=Wired News. Condé Nast Publications |date=May 19, 2009 |access-date=July 28, 2022 |archive-date=July 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120705141800/http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/05/creepycha |url-status=live }} Known for her large eyes and peculiar interests like fascination with blood, photos she posted on her blog were widely circulated on the board. She gained mainstream notoriety in 2009 and again in 2011 by appearing on America's Next Top Model. She would visit /x/ after new episodes of America's Next Top Model would air to see what was being written about her and participate in the discussions.{{cite web| url=https://www.makeuseof.com/creepy-chan-meme-girl-became-a-model/| title=Who Is Creepy Chan? How a 4chan Meme Girl Became a Model| publisher=MakeUseOf| date=Sep 30, 2021| access-date=July 28, 2022| archive-date=August 1, 2022| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801224931/https://www.makeuseof.com/creepy-chan-meme-girl-became-a-model/| url-status=live}}
The SCP Foundation, a fictional secret organization documented by the collaborative writing wiki project of the same name, originated on /x/ in 2007, when the first SCP file, SCP-173, was posted by an anonymous user.{{cite web|last=Walker|first=Ian|date=February 16, 2022|title=Internet Horror Legend Sees Incredible Reimagining After Over A Decade Of Tensions|url=https://kotaku.com/scp-foundation-173-4chan-izumi-kato-control-horror-cree-1848550692|access-date=August 1, 2022|website=Kotaku|archive-date=May 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510130530/https://kotaku.com/scp-foundation-173-4chan-izumi-kato-control-horror-cree-1848550692|url-status=live}} Initially a stand-alone short story, many additional SCP files were created shortly after; these new SCPs copied SCP-173's style and were set within the same fictional universe. A stand-alone wiki was created in January 2008 on the EditThis wiki hosting service to display the SCP articles. The EditThis website did not have moderators, or the ability to delete articles. Members communicated through individual article talk pages and the /x/ board.{{cite web|last1 = Baker-Whitelaw|first1 = Gavia|title = Meet the secret foundation that contains the world's paranormal artifacts|url = https://www.dailydot.com/parsec/fandom/scp-foundation-paranormal-artifact-containment-horror/|website = The Daily Dot|access-date = 2022-07-16|date = 9 January 2014|archive-date = October 22, 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181022160056/https://www.dailydot.com/parsec/fandom/scp-foundation-paranormal-artifact-containment-horror/|url-status = live}}
/x/ was the first place where the 2015 viral video 11B-X-1371 was posted.{{cite web|last=Krahblicher|first=John-Erik|title=This Creepy Puzzle Arrived In Our Mail|url=http://gadgetzz.com/2015/10/12/this-creepy-puzzle-arrived-in-our-mail/|publisher=GadgetZZ.com|date=October 12, 2015|access-date=2022-07-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101180031/http://gadgetzz.com/2015/10/12/this-creepy-puzzle-arrived-in-our-mail/|archive-date=2015-11-01|url-status=live}} The board also contributed to investigating and popularizing the controversial Sad Satan video game.{{cite news|last1=Berger|first1=Jonas|date=2015-10-29|title=Das rätselhafteste Spiel aus dem Darknet|language=de|trans-title=The most enigmatic game from the Darknet|work=WELT|url=https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/webwelt/article160310215/Das-raetselhafteste-Spiel-aus-dem-Darknet.html|access-date=2022-07-16|archive-date=December 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211226045239/https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/webwelt/article160310215/Das-raetselhafteste-Spiel-aus-dem-Darknet.html|url-status=live}}
Internet culture
=Early internet memes=
"[A] significant and influential element of contemporary internet culture", 4chan is responsible for many early memes and the site has received positive attention for its association with memes. This included "So I herd u liek mudkipz"{{Sic}}, which involved a phrase based on Pokémon and which generated numerous YouTube tribute videos, and the term "an hero"{{Sic}} as a synonym for suicide, after a misspelling in the Myspace online memorial of seventh grader Mitchell Henderson.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/magazine/03trolls-t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all|title=The Trolls Among Us|last=Schwartz|first=Mattathis|date=August 3, 2008|newspaper=The New York Times Magazine|access-date=February 21, 2017|archive-date=January 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118202230/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/magazine/03trolls-t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all|url-status=live}} 4chan and other websites, such as the satirical Encyclopedia Dramatica, have also contributed to the development of significant amounts of leetspeak.{{cite news|url=http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article4173635.ece|title=Scientology: the Anonymous protestors|last=Moran|first=Caitlin|date=June 20, 2008|newspaper=The Times|access-date=August 25, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905163346/http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article4173635.ece|archive-date=September 5, 2008 |url-status=dead|location=London}}
A lolcat is an image combining a photograph of a cat with solecistic text intended to contribute humour, widely popularized by 4chan in the form of a weekly post dedicated to them and a corresponding theme.{{cite news |url=http://thedp.com/index.php/article/2007/11/iz_not_cats_everywhere_online_trend_spreads_across_campus |title=Iz not cats everywhere? Online trend spreads across campus |first=Paul |last=Richards |newspaper=The Daily Pennsylvanian |date=November 14, 2007 |access-date=July 24, 2008 |archive-date=April 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120408201713/http://thedp.com/index.php/article/2007/11/iz_not_cats_everywhere_online_trend_spreads_across_campus |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=http://thephoenix.com/Article.aspx?id=55486|title=The cuteness surge|last=Steel|first=Sharon|date=February 1, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090825040923/http://thephoenix.com/Article.aspx?id=55486|archive-date=August 25, 2009|access-date=July 24, 2008|newspaper=The Boston Phoenix}}
In 2005, the installment of a word filter which changed "egg" to "duck", and thus "eggroll" to "duckroll", across 4chan led to a bait-and-switch meme in which users deceitfully linked to a picture of a duck on wheels.{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,352010,00.html |title=The Biggest Little Internet Hoax on Wheels Hits Mainstream |website=Fox News Channel |date=April 22, 2008 |access-date=July 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080422175015/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,352010,00.html |archive-date=April 22, 2008 |df=mdy-all }} This was then modified into users linking to the music video for Rick Astley's 1987 song "Never Gonna Give You Up". Thus, the "rickroll" was born.
A link to the YouTube video of Tay Zonday's song "Chocolate Rain" was posted on /b/ on July 11, 2007, and then subsequently circulated by users, becoming a very popular internet meme.{{cite web |url=http://4chanarchive.org/brchive/dspl_thread.php5?thread_id=32640395 |title=Thread 32640395 |website=4chanarchive.org |access-date=July 14, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080621070830/http://4chanarchive.org/brchive/dspl_thread.php5?thread_id=32640395 |archive-date=June 21, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}{{cite news|url=https://business.theage.com.au/business/youtube-research-shows-picture-is-changing-rapidly-20080716-3fn1.html|title=YouTube research shows picture is changing rapidly|last=Ricketson|first=Matthew|date=July 16, 2008|newspaper=The Age|access-date=July 16, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720065755/http://business.theage.com.au/business/youtube-research-shows-picture-is-changing-rapidly-20080716-3fn1.html|archive-date=July 20, 2008|location=Melbourne, Australia|df=mdy-all}}{{cite news|url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070815.WBmingram20070815141502/WBStory/WBmingram/|title=Who is Tay Zonday?|last=Ingram|first=Mathew|date=August 15, 2007|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|access-date=July 14, 2008|location=Canada|archive-date=May 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518105827/http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070815.WBmingram20070815141502/WBStory/WBmingram/}} The portion of the song in which Zonday turns away from the microphone, with a caption stating "I move away from the mic to breathe in", became an oft-repeated meme on 4chan and inspired remixes.{{cite news |url=https://www.news.com.au/news/chocolate-rain-goes-huge/news-story/12051187e0f1fccf1a9ac7a1428d5d53 |title=Chocolate Rain goes huge |work=news.com.au |first=Garth |last=Montgomery |date=August 1, 2007 |access-date=March 26, 2021 |archive-date=November 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114145518/https://www.news.com.au/news/chocolate-rain-goes-huge/news-story/12051187e0f1fccf1a9ac7a1428d5d53 }} Fellow YouTuber Boxxy's popularity was also due in part to 4chan.{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Bobbie |date=January 20, 2009 |title=How Boxxy brought the web to its knees |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2009/jan/20/internet |url-status=live |access-date=July 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727203448/http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/jan/20/internet |archive-date=July 27, 2011 |df=mdy-all}}
In his American incarnation, Pedobear is an anthropomorphic bear child predator that is often used within the community to mock contributors showing a sexual interest in children.{{cite news |url=http://www.torontosun.com/sports/vancouver2010/news/2010/02/10/12823326-qmi.html |title='Pedobear' an Olympic mascot? |date=February 10, 2010 |newspaper=Toronto Sun |access-date=February 12, 2010 |archive-date=September 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925221523/http://www.torontosun.com/sports/vancouver2010/news/2010/02/10/12823326-qmi.html |url-status=dead }} Pedobear is one of the most popular memes on non-English imageboards, and has gained recognition across Europe, appearing in offline publications.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/7187027/Polish-newspaper-claims-Pedobear-is-2010-Vancouver-Olympic-mascot.html |title=Polish newspaper claims 'Pedobear' is 2010 Vancouver Olympic mascot|last=Moore|first=Matthew |date=February 8, 2010 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=February 9, 2010 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211003245/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/7187027/Polish-newspaper-claims-Pedobear-is-2010-Vancouver-Olympic-mascot.html |archive-date=February 11, 2010 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.geenstijl.nl/mt/archieven/2010/02/ook_avro_in_de_fout_met_pedobe.html |title=Ook AVRO in de fout met Pedobear |website=GeenStijl |date=February 11, 2010 |access-date=October 21, 2013 |archive-date=January 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107195522/http://www.geenstijl.nl/mt/archieven/2010/02/ook_avro_in_de_fout_met_pedobe.html |url-status=dead }} It has been used as a symbol of pedophilia by Maltese graffiti vandals prior to a papal visit.{{cite news |url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100410/local/papal-billboard-vandalised |title=Papal billboards vandalism 'does not respect people's sentiments'- Curia |newspaper=The Times |location=Malta |date=April 10, 2010 |page=7 |access-date=April 10, 2010 |archive-date=April 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412022120/http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100410/local/papal-billboard-vandalised |url-status=live }}
=Anonymous and anti-Scientology activism=
{{See also|Anonymous (hacker group)|Project Chanology}}
4chan has been labeled as the starting point of the Anonymous meme by The Baltimore City Paper,{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Landers |title=Serious Business |newspaper=Baltimore City Paper |date=March 2, 2008 |url=http://www.citypaper.com/columns/story.asp?id=15543 |access-date=July 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608050312/http://www.citypaper.com/columns/story.asp?id=15543 |archive-date=June 8, 2008 |df=mdy-all }} due to the norm of posts signed with the "Anonymous" moniker. The National Post{{'}}s David George-Cosh said it has been "widely reported" that Anonymous is associated with 4chan and 711chan, as well as numerous Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channels.{{cite news|url=http://www.canada.com/topics/technology/story.html?id=db57d8d2-ca06-4fe0-8a8b-4975100f7231|title=Online group declares war on Scientology|last=George-Cosh|first=David|date=January 25, 2008|newspaper=National Post|access-date=July 13, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080603083324/http://www.canada.com/topics/technology/story.html?id=db57d8d2-ca06-4fe0-8a8b-4975100f7231|archive-date=June 3, 2008 |location=Canada}}
Through its association with Anonymous, 4chan has become associated with Project Chanology, a worldwide protest against the Church of Scientology held by members of Anonymous. On January 15, 2008, a 4chan user posted to /b/, suggesting participants "do something big" against the Church of Scientology's website. This message resulted in the Church receiving threatening phone calls. It quickly grew into a large real-world protest. Unlike previous Anonymous attacks, this action was characterized by 4chan memes including rickrolls and Guy Fawkes masks. The raid drew criticism from some 4chan users who felt it would bring the site undesirable attention.
=''My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'' fandom=
{{Main|My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fandom}}
The adult fandom and subculture dedicated to the children's animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic began on the "Comics & Cartoons" (/co/) board of 4chan. The show was first discussed with some interest around its debut in October 2010.{{cite web |last1=LaMarche |first1=Una |title=Pony Up Haters: How 4chan Gave Birth to the Bronies |url=https://observer.com/2011/08/pony-up-haters-how-4chan-gave-birth-to-the-bronies/ |website=The Observer |access-date=19 December 2019 |date=March 8, 2011 |archive-date=March 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312090619/http://betabeat.com/2011/08/pony-up-haters-how-4chan-gave-birth-to-the-bronies/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203707504577012141105109140?mod=WSJ_hpp_RIGHTTopCarousel_1#|title=Hey, Bro, That's My Little Pony! Guys' Interest Mounts in Girly TV Show|last1=Vara|first1=Vauhini|date=November 4, 2011|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=November 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111207090851/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203707504577012141105109140.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_RIGHTTopCarousel_1|archive-date=December 7, 2011|last2=Zimmerman|first2=Ann|df=mdy-all}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/06/bronies-my-little-ponys/ |title=My Little Pony Corrals Unlikely Fanboys Known as 'Bronies' |first=Angela |last=Watchcutter |date=June 9, 2011 |access-date=June 9, 2011 |magazine=Wired |archive-date=June 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612100758/http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/06/bronies-my-little-ponys |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/my-little-pony-the-hip-new-trend-among-the-geekerati/ |title=My Little Pony: the Hip, New Trend Among the Geekerati |first=Constantine |last=von Hoffman |date=May 31, 2011 |access-date=May 31, 2011 |website=BNET |archive-date=March 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314002516/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-49640313/my-little-pony-the-hip-new-trend-among-the-geekerati/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=http://bostonglobe.com/ideas/2011/12/02/the-secret-language-bros/kd1q6tKQxO15hxMYWQSirO/story.html|title=The secret language of bros|last=McKean|first=Erin|date=December 2, 2011|newspaper=The Boston Globe|access-date=December 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204220351/http://bostonglobe.com/ideas/2011/12/02/the-secret-language-bros/kd1q6tKQxO15hxMYWQSirO/story.html|archive-date=December 4, 2011}} The users of /co/ took a heightened interest in the show after a critical Cartoon Brew article was shared, resulting in praise for its plot, characters, and animation style. Discussion of the show extended to /b/, eventually to a point of contention. Discussion then spread forth to communities external to 4chan, including the establishment of the fan websites, causing the show to reach a wider audience across the internet.
="This post is art"=
On July 30, 2014, an anonymous user made a reply in a thread on the board /pol/ "Politically Incorrect" of 4chan, criticizing modern art in an ironic fashion, saying:
{{Blockquote|text=Art used to be something to cherish
Now literally anything could be art
Less than an hour later the post was photographed off the screen and framed by another user who posted another reply in the thread with a photo of the framed quote. Later the user, after endorsement by other anonymous users in the thread, created an auction on eBay for the framed photo which quickly rose to high prices, culminating in a price of $90,900.{{cite news |last=Dewey |first=Caitlin |date=August 5, 2014 |title=A photo of a 4chan post sold for almost $100,000, because 'art' |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/08/05/a-photo-of-a-4chan-post-sold-for-almost-100000-because-art/ |url-status=live |access-date=January 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218025037/http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/08/05/a-photo-of-a-4chan-post-sold-for-almost-100000-because-art/ |archive-date=February 18, 2015}}{{cite web |date=August 3, 2014 |title=4chan screenshot sells for $90K on eBay |url=http://www.cnet.com/news/4chan-screenshot-sells-for-90k-on-ebay/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119064936/http://www.cnet.com/news/4chan-screenshot-sells-for-90k-on-ebay/ |archive-date=January 19, 2015 |access-date=January 6, 2015 |website=CNET}}{{cite news |date=August 4, 2014 |title=Framed 4chan post 'sells' for $90,000 on eBay, screenshot of auction now up for bidding |newspaper=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/framed-4chan-post-sells-for-90000-on-ebay-screenshot-of-auction-now-up-for-bidding-9646844.html |url-status=live |access-date=January 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329000811/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/framed-4chan-post-sells-for-90000-on-ebay-screenshot-of-auction-now-up-for-bidding-9646844.html |archive-date=March 29, 2015}}{{cite web |date=August 4, 2014 |title=eBay Bidder Buys 4chan Screenshot, as Art, for $90,000 |url=http://www.artnews.com/2014/08/04/ebay-bidder-buys-4chan-screenshot-as-art-for-90k/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329151347/http://www.artnews.com/2014/08/04/ebay-bidder-buys-4chan-screenshot-as-art-for-90k/ |archive-date=March 29, 2015 |access-date=January 6, 2015 |website=Artnews}}
Controversies and harassment incidents
{{Anchor|Media controversies}}
=Internet raids=
{{See also|Anonymous (hacker group)#4chan raids (2003–2007)|Sarah Palin email hack}}
File:Anonymous emblem.svg, a decentralized hacktivist movement that saw its origins from /b/]]
According to The Washington Post, "the site's users have managed to pull off some of the highest-profile collective actions in the history of the Internet."{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/09/AR2010080906102.html?hpid=topnews |title=4chan users seize Internet's power for mass disruptions |newspaper=Washington Post |last=Cha |first=Ariana Eunjung |date=August 10, 2010 |access-date=August 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111042946/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/09/AR2010080906102.html?hpid=topnews |archive-date=November 11, 2012 |url-status=live }}
Users of 4chan and other websites "raided" Hal Turner by launching denial-of-service attacks and prank calling his phone-in radio show during December 2006 and January 2007. The attacks caused Turner's website to go offline. This cost thousands of dollars of bandwidth bills according to Turner. In response, Turner sued 4chan, 7chan, and other websites; however, he lost his plea for an injunction and failed to receive letters from the court.{{cite web |url=http://dockets.justia.com/docket/court-njdce/case_no-2:2007cv00306/case_id-198438/ |website=Justia Federal District Court Filings |title=Harold C. "Hal" Turner v. 4chan.org |access-date=July 14, 2008 |date=January 19, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420131458/http://dockets.justia.com/docket/court-njdce/case_no-2:2007cv00306/case_id-198438/ |archive-date=April 20, 2008 |url-status=live }}
KTTV Fox 11 aired a report on Anonymous, calling them a group of "hackers on steroids", "domestic terrorists", and collectively an "Internet hate machine" on July 26, 2007.{{cite web |url=http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/pages/ContentDetail?contentId=3894628 |publisher=KTTV (Fox Broadcasting Company) |website=MyFOX Los Angeles |title=FOX 11 Investigates: 'Anonymous' |date=July 26, 2007 |access-date=August 11, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080522123812/http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=3894628&version=7&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1 |archive-date=May 22, 2008}} Slashdot founder Rob Malda posted a comment made by another Slashdot user, Miang, stating that the story focused mainly on users of "4chan, 7chan and 420chan". Miang claimed that the report "seems to confuse /b/ raids and motivational poster templates with a genuine threat to the American public", arguing that the "unrelated" footage of a van exploding shown in the report was to "equate anonymous posting with domestic terror".{{cite web |url=http://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/07/07/28/1145204/ac--domestic-terrorists |title=AC=Domestic Terrorists? |access-date=July 24, 2008 |editor=Miang, CmdrTaco |date=July 28, 2007 |website=Slashdot |archive-date=July 28, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728043458/http://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/07/07/28/1145204/AC--Domestic-Terrorists |url-status=live }}
On July 10, 2008, the swastika CJK unicode character (卐) appeared at the top of Google's Hot Trends list—a tally of the most used search terms in the United States—for several hours. It was later reported that the HTML numeric character reference for the symbol had been posted on /b/, with a request to perform a Google search for the string. A multitude of /b/ visitors followed the order and pushed the symbol to the top of the chart, though Google later removed the result.{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-et-swastika12-2008jul12,0,7460743.story|title=Rise and fall of the Googled swastika|last=Sarno|first=David|date=July 12, 2008|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=July 14, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080715115928/http://www.latimes.com/business/la-et-swastika12-2008jul12,0,7460743.story|archive-date=July 15, 2008 |url-status=live}}
Later that year, the private Yahoo! Mail account of Sarah Palin, Republican vice presidential candidate in the 2008 United States presidential election, was hacked by a 4chan user. The hacker posted the account's password on /b/, and screenshots from within the account to WikiLeaks.{{cite news |url=http://theridiculant.metro.co.uk/2008/09/sarah-palins-em.html |title=Sarah Palin's email gets hacked |newspaper=Metro |first=Tom |last=Phillips |date=September 17, 2008 |access-date=September 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920105947/http://theridiculant.metro.co.uk/2008/09/sarah-palins-em.html |archive-date=September 20, 2008 |url-status=live}} A /b/ user then logged in and changed the password, posting a screenshot of him sending an email to a friend of Palin's informing her of the new password on the /b/ thread. However, he forgot to blank out the password in the screenshot.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1842097,00.html |title=Sarah Palin's E-mail Hacked |magazine=TIME |first=M. J. |last=Stephey |date=September 17, 2008 |access-date=September 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919092620/http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1842097,00.html |archive-date=September 19, 2008 |url-status=live}} A multitude of /b/ users attempted to log in with the new password, and the account was automatically locked out by Yahoo!. The incident was criticized by some /b/ users. One user commented, "seriously, /b/. We could have changed history and failed, epically."{{cite news |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/webscout/2008/09/4chans-half-hac.html |title=4Chan's half-hack of Palin's email goes awry |newspaper=The Los Angeles Times |first=David |last=Sarno |date=September 17, 2008 |access-date=September 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207083522/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/webscout/2008/09/4chans-half-hac.html |archive-date=February 7, 2009}} The FBI and Secret Service began investigating the incident shortly after its occurrence. On September 20 it was revealed they were questioning David Kernell, the son of Democratic Tennessee State Representative Mike Kernell.{{cite web |url=http://www.newsfactor.com/news/Suspect-Nabbed-in-Palin-E-mail-Hack/story.xhtml?story_id=110003SJWA8K |title=Suspect Nabbed in Palin E-mail Hack |website=NewsFactor |first=Steve |last=Bosak |date=September 20, 2008 |access-date=September 21, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090504145946/http://www.newsfactor.com/news/Suspect-Nabbed-in-Palin-E-mail-Hack/story.xhtml?story_id=110003SJWA8K |archive-date=May 4, 2009 |url-status=live}}
The stock price of Apple Inc. fell significantly in October 2008 after a hoax story was submitted to CNN's user-generated news site iReport.com claiming that company CEO Steve Jobs had suffered a major heart attack. The source of the story was traced back to 4chan.{{cite news|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10058410-93.html|title=Who's to blame for spreading phony Jobs story?|website=CNet News|first=Greg|last=Sandoval|date=October 4, 2008|access-date=January 11, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090728221646/http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10058410-93.html|archive-date=July 28, 2009|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/10/03/friday-apple-links-steve-jobs-still-not-dead |access-date=January 11, 2009 |title=Friday Apple links: Steve Jobs still not dead edition |date=October 3, 2008 |first=Jacqui |last=Cheng |website=Ars Technica |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209025613/http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/10/03/friday-apple-links-steve-jobs-still-not-dead |archive-date=December 9, 2008 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}
In May 2009, members of the site attacked YouTube, posting pornographic videos on the video-sharing platform under names of teenage celebrities.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/may/22/youtube-porn-day |title=YouTube besieged by porn videos |newspaper=The Guardian |first=Caitlin |last=Fitzsimmons |date=May 22, 2009 |access-date=June 13, 2009 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090527105033/http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/may/22/youtube-porn-day |archive-date=May 27, 2009 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }} The attack spawned the popular Internet meme and catchphrase "I'm 12 years old and what is this?" as a response to a user comment on one such video. A 4chan member acknowledged being part of the attack, telling BBC News that it was in response to YouTube "deleting music".{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8061979.stm |title=Pornographic videos flood YouTube |first=Siobhan |last=Courtney |website=BBC News |date=May 21, 2009 |access-date=June 13, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090530194214/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8061979.stm |archive-date=May 30, 2009 |url-status=live}} In January 2010, members of the site attacked YouTube again in response to the suspension of YouTube user lukeywes1234 for failing to meet the minimum age requirement of thirteen.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/pda/2010/jan/06/youtube-porn-attack-4chan-lukeywes1234 |title=YouTube faces 4chan porn attack |newspaper=The Guardian |first=Mercedes |last=Bunz |date=January 6, 2010 |access-date=January 13, 2010 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100110214609/http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2010/jan/06/youtube-porn-attack-4chan-lukeywes1234 |archive-date=January 10, 2010 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }} The videos uploaded by the user had apparently become popular with 4chan members, who subsequently became angered after the account was suspended and called for a new wave of pornographic videos to be uploaded to YouTube on January 6, 2010. Later the same year, 4chan made numerous disruptive pranks directed at singer Justin Bieber.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10506482 |title=Prank leaves Justin Bieber facing tour of North Korea |first=Daniel|last=Emery |date=July 5, 2010 |access-date=July 20, 2010 |website=BBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100717204004/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10506482 |archive-date=July 17, 2010 |url-status=live}}; {{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10545038 |title=Record label brands Justin Bieber tour vote "a hoax" |date=July 7, 2010 |access-date=July 20, 2010 |website=BBC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100717130709/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10545038 |archive-date=July 17, 2010 |url-status=live}}
In September 2010, in retaliation against the Bollywood film industry's hiring of Aiplex Software to launch cyberattacks against The Pirate Bay, Anonymous members, recruited through posts on 4chan boards, subsequently initiated their own attacks, dubbed Operation Payback, targeting the website of the Motion Picture Association of America and the Recording Industry Association of America.{{cite news |last=Singh |first=Divyesh |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_bollywood-hiring-cyber-hitmen-to-combat-piracy_1433621 |title=Bollywood hiring cyber hitmen to combat piracy |newspaper=Daily News and Analysis |date=September 5, 2010 |access-date=January 26, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125060850/http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_bollywood-hiring-cyber-hitmen-to-combat-piracy_1433621 |archive-date=January 25, 2012 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Saetang |first=David |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/205813/riaa_mpaa_websites_pummeled_by_4chans_wrath.html |title=RIAA, MPAA Websites Pummeled By 4chan's Wrath |website=PCWorld |date=September 20, 2010 |access-date=October 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113151023/http://www.pcworld.com/article/205813/riaa_mpaa_websites_pummeled_by_4chans_wrath.html |archive-date=November 13, 2011 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://gawker.com/5641634/4chan-attack-brings-down-mpaa-website |title=4chan Attack Brings Down MPAA Website |website=Gawker.com |date=September 18, 2010 |access-date=October 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120122104015/http://gawker.com/5641634/4chan-attack-brings-down-mpaa-website |archive-date=January 22, 2012 |url-status=live }} The targeted websites usually went offline for a short period of time due to the attacks, before recovering.
The website of the UK law firm ACS:Law, which was associated with an anti-piracy client, was affected by the cyber-attack. In retaliation for the initial attacks being called only a minor nuisance, Anonymous launched more attacks, bringing the site down yet again. After coming back up, the front page accidentally revealed a backup file of the entire website, which contained over 300 megabytes of private company emails, which were leaked to several torrents and across several sites on the Internet.{{cite web |url=http://torrentfreak.com/acslaw-anti-piracy-law-firm-torn-apart-by-leaked-emails-100925/ |title=ACS:Law Anti-Piracy Law Firm Torn Apart By Leaked Emails |website=TorrentFreak |author=enigmax |date=September 25, 2010 |access-date=September 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100926115653/http://torrentfreak.com/acslaw-anti-piracy-law-firm-torn-apart-by-leaked-emails-100925/ |archive-date=September 26, 2010 |url-status=live}} It was suggested that the data leak could cost the law firm up to £500,000 in fines for breaching British Data Protection Laws.{{cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/09/28/acs_ico/ |title=ACS:Law's mocking of 4chan could cost it £500k |website=The Register |first=Chris |last=Williams |date=September 28, 2010 |access-date=January 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110131230429/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/09/28/acs_ico/ |archive-date=January 31, 2011 |url-status=live }}
In January 2011, BBC News reported that the law firm announced they were to stop "chasing illegal file-sharers". Head of ACS:Law Andrew Crossley in a statement to a court addressed issues which influenced the decision to back down "I have ceased my work ... I have been subject to criminal attack. My e-mails have been hacked. I have had death threats and bomb threats."{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12253746 |title=Law firm stops chasing pirates |website=BBC News |first=Jane |last=Wakefield |date=January 25, 2011 |access-date=January 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110125091200/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12253746 |archive-date=January 25, 2011 |url-status=live}}
In August 2012, 4chan users attacked a third-party sponsored Mountain Dew campaign, Dub the Dew, where users were asked to submit and vote on name ideas for a green apple flavor of the drink. Users submitted entries such as "Diabeetus", "Fapple", several variations of "Gushing Granny", and "Hitler did nothing wrong".{{cite magazine |title=Web pranksters hijack restaurant's Mountain Dew naming contest |url=https://newsfeed.time.com/2012/08/14/mountain-dews-dub-the-dew-online-poll-goes-horribly-wrong/ |magazine=Time |date=August 12, 2012 |access-date=December 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141202204642/http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/08/14/mountain-dews-dub-the-dew-online-poll-goes-horribly-wrong/ |archive-date=December 2, 2014 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=4chan users hijack Mountain Dew contest |url=http://www.dailydot.com/news/4chan-mountain-dew-name-contest/ |website=The Daily Dot |date=August 13, 2012 |access-date=December 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402173343/http://www.dailydot.com/news/4chan-mountain-dew-name-contest/ |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |url-status=live }}
=Threats of violence=
On October 18, 2006, the Department of Homeland Security warned National Football League officials in Miami, New York City, Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, Oakland, and Cleveland about a possible threat involving the simultaneous use of dirty bombs at stadiums.{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aVpJWbr6YesA&refer=home |title=Wisconsin Man Is Charged in Fake NFL Stadium Threats |website=Bloomberg |access-date=October 20, 2006 |first1=Chris |last1=Dolmetsch |first2=David |last2=Voreacos |date=October 20, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301051733/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive |archive-date=March 1, 2012 |url-status=live }} The threat claimed that the attack would be carried out on October 22, the final day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.{{cite web |url=http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3639301 |title=Man Charged in Internet Bomb Threats |first=Roy |last=Mark |website=InternetNews.com |date=October 20, 2006 |access-date=July 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929204214/http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3639301 |archive-date=September 29, 2008 |url-status=live }} Both the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security expressed doubt concerning the credibility of the threats, but warned the relevant organizations as a precaution.{{cite web |url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/10/nfl_stadium_thr.html |title=NFL Stadium Threat: Officials Skeptical But Issue Warning |website=ABC News |first=Pierre |last=Thomas |date=October 16, 2006 |access-date=July 21, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013135928/http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/10/nfl_stadium_thr.html |archive-date=October 13, 2008 |df=mdy-all }} The threat turned out to be an ill-conceived hoax perpetrated by a grocery store clerk in Wisconsin with no terrorist ties. The FBI considered it a clearly frivolous threat and the 20-year-old man was charged with fabricating a terrorist threat, sentenced to six months in prison followed by six months' house arrest, and ordered to pay $26,750 in restitution.{{cite web |last=Gaudin |first=Sharon |date=June 16, 2008 |title=Man gets six months for posting terror threat online |url=http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/224745/man_gets_six_months_posting_terror_threat_online/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012091906/http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/224745/man_gets_six_months_posting_terror_threat_online/ |archive-date=October 12, 2012 |access-date=July 21, 2008 |website=Computerworld}}{{cite news |last=Smothers |first=Ronald |date=October 20, 2006 |title=Man, 20, Arrested in Stadium Threat Hoax |newspaper=New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/21/us/21stadium.html?ex=1185681600&en=6f5000744e8dd0aa&ei=5070 |url-status=live |access-date=July 27, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512060734/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/21/us/21stadium.html?ex=1185681600&en=6f5000744e8dd0aa&ei=5070 |archive-date=May 12, 2011}}
{{quote box|width=30%|quote=Hello, /b/.
On September 11, 2007, at 9:11 am Central time, two pipe bombs will be remote-detonated at Pflugerville High School.
Promptly after the blast, I, along with two {{not a typo|ther}} Anonymous, will charge the building, armed with a Bushmaster AR-15, IMI Galil AR, a vintage, government-issue M1 .30 Carbine, and a Benelli M4 semi auto shotgun.|source=—The Pflugerville threat}}
Around midnight on September 11, 2007, a student posted photographs of mock pipe bombs and another photograph of him holding them while saying he would blow up his high school—Pflugerville High School in Pflugerville, Texas—at 9:11 am on September 11.{{cite web |url=http://4chanarchive.org/brchive/dspl_thread.php5?thread_id=39101047 |title=4chanarchive — Thread 39101047 |website=4chanarchive.com |access-date=January 18, 2008 |date=September 11, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080105081944/http://4chanarchive.org/brchive/dspl_thread.php5?thread_id=39101047 |archive-date=January 5, 2008 }} Users of 4chan helped to track him down by finding the perpetrator's father's name in the Exif data of a photograph he took, and contacted the police.{{cite web |url=http://4chanarchive.org/brchive/dspl_thread.php5?thread_id=39168208 |title=4chanarchive — Thread 39168208 |website=4chanarchive.com |access-date=January 18, 2008 |date=September 11, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080221084704/http://4chanarchive.org/brchive/dspl_thread.php5?thread_id=39168208 |archive-date=February 21, 2008 |df=mdy-all }} He was arrested before school began that day.{{cite web |url=http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=7058267 |title=Pflugerville Student Arrested After Posting Bomb Threats |website=KXAN |date=September 12, 2007 |access-date=January 18, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011204907/http://kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=7058267 |archive-date=October 11, 2007}}{{cite web |url=http://www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=4324560&version=4&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1 |title=Police Investigate Bomb Threat at Pflugerville High School |website=Fox Television Stations, Inc |date=September 11, 2007 |access-date=January 18, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410192538/http://www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=4324560&version=4&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1 |archive-date=April 10, 2008}}{{cite web |url=http://austin.ynn.com/content/191790/teen-arrested-for-threatening-to-blow-up-school |title=Teen arrested for threatening to blow up school |website=Twean News Channel of Austin, L.P. d.b.a. News 8 Austin |date=September 11, 2007 |access-date=February 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624081137/http://austin.ynn.com/content/191790/teen-arrested-for-threatening-to-blow-up-school |archive-date=June 24, 2012 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.kvue.com/news/top/stories/091107kvueschoolthreat-cb.c37a07dc.html |title=Juvenile arrested in Pflugerville H.S. bomb threat |website=KVUE |date=September 11, 2007 |access-date=January 18, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080106183450/http://www.kvue.com/news/top/stories/091107kvueschoolthreat-cb.c37a07dc.html |archive-date=January 6, 2008}} The incident turned out to be a hoax; the "weapons" were toys and there were no actual bombs.{{cite web |title=Letter from Pflugerville Highschool |url=http://4chanarchive.org/images/39168208/1189548484971.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120701120553/http://4chanarchive.org/images/39168208/1189548484971.jpg |archive-date=1 July 2012 |access-date=September 11, 2008 |website=Pflugerville High School}}
A 20-year-old from Melbourne, Australia, was arrested on December 8, 2007, after apparently posting on 4chan that he was "going to shoot and kill as many people as I can until which time I am incapacitated or killed by the police".{{cite news |last1=Hudson |first1=Fiona |last2=Houlihan |first2=Liam |title=Student faces jail over online joke |publisher=news.com.au |newspaper=Herald Sun |location=Australia |date=December 9, 2007 |url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22892993-661,00.html |access-date=July 14, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080106084143/http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22892993-661,00.html |archive-date=January 6, 2008 |url-status=live }} The post, accompanied by an image of another man holding a shotgun, threatened a shopping mall near Beverly Hills.{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,316103,00.html |title=Australian Police Arrest Man Who Threatened to Attack Los Angeles Mall |website=Fox News Channel |agency=Associated Press |date=December 8, 2007 |access-date=July 14, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919124218/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,316103,00.html |archive-date=September 19, 2008 |df=mdy-all }} While the investigation was still open, he was charged with criminal defamation for a separate incident{{cite news |last=Edwards |first=Geoff |title=Hoax student charges |newspaper=Frankston Standard Leader |page=1 |publisher=Leader Community Newspapers |date=June 30, 2008 |url=http://frankston-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/frankston-south-student-faces-court-over-email/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425195614/http://frankston-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/frankston-south-student-faces-court-over-email/ |archive-date=April 25, 2009 |access-date=February 6, 2009}} but died before the case was heard.{{cite web |url=http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=606851 |title=Mall massacre hoax accused dies |website=ninemsn |first=Shaun |last=Davies |date=July 31, 2008 |access-date=July 31, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080805034420/http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=606851 |archive-date=August 5, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}
On February 4, 2009, a posting on the 4chan /b/ board{{cite news |url=http://www.realtid.se/ArticlePages/200902/04/20090204152248_Realtid247/20090204152248_Realtid247.dbp.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206040942/http://realtid.se/ArticlePages/200902/04/20090204152248_Realtid247/20090204152248_Realtid247.dbp.asp |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 6, 2009 |title=Hemsidan som chockar "vuxen-Sverige" |last=Sivesson |first=Sara |date=February 4, 2009 |website=realtid.se |publisher=Alternativ Media Stockholm AB |language=sv |access-date=February 4, 2009 |df=mdy-all }} said there would be a school shooting at St Eskils Gymnasium in Eskilstuna, Sweden, leading 1,250 students and 50 teachers to be evacuated.{{cite news |url=http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/artikkel.php?artid=557871 |title=Svensk skole evakueres etter trusler|last=Sæby|first=Inger-Marit |date=February 4, 2009 |newspaper=Verdens Gang|language=no |access-date=February 4, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205235209/http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/artikkel.php?artid=557871 |archive-date=February 5, 2009 |url-status=live}} A 21-year-old man was arrested after 4chan provided the police with the IP address of the poster. Police said that the suspect called it off as a joke, and they released him after they found no indication that the threat was serious.{{cite news |url=http://www.thelocal.se/17354/20090204/ |title=Young man arrested over school threat |date=February 4, 2009 |newspaper=The Local / TT |access-date=February 4, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205111943/http://www.thelocal.se/17354/20090204/ |archive-date=February 5, 2009 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=http://www.ekuriren.se/ekuriren/senaste_nytt.php?id=798861&avdelning_1=102&avdelning_2=369&t=1525145308 |title=21-åringen släpptes efter förhör |date=February 4, 2009 |newspaper=Eskilstuna-Kuriren |language=sv |access-date=February 4, 2009}} {{Dead link |date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}
On June 28, 2018, a man was arrested following an indictment by the U.S. Department of Justice "on one count of transmitting in interstate and foreign commerce a threat to injure the person of another."{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/indianapolis-man-arrested-threatening-boston-free-speech-rally-attendees-2017|title=Indianapolis Man Arrested for Threatening Boston Free Speech Rally Attendees in 2017|author=US Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts|website=justice.gov|access-date=August 3, 2018|date=2018-06-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804013840/https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/indianapolis-man-arrested-threatening-boston-free-speech-rally-attendees-2017|archive-date=August 4, 2018|url-status=live}} The indictment alleged that he posted anonymously to /pol/ the day after the Unite the Right rally, communicating an intention to attack protestors at an upcoming right-wing demonstration, ostensibly to elicit sympathy for the alt-right movement. "I'm going to bring a Remington 700 and start shooting Alt-right guys. We need sympathy after that landwhale got all the liberals teary eyed, so someone is going to have to make it look like the left is becoming more violent and radicalized. It's a false flag for sure, but I'll be aiming for the more tanned/dark haired muddied jeans in the crowd so real whites won't have to worry," he wrote, according to the indictment.
In 2023, a 38-year-old of Monmouth Junction, New Jersey, was arrested for threatening Volusia County, Florida sheriff Mike Chitwood on 4chan due to Chitwood's condemnation of anti-Semitism. According to authorities, the poster, who lived 974 miles away from Volusia County, advocated "shoot[ing] Chitwood in the head and murder[ing] him" in a February 22 post.{{cite news |date=March 15, 2023 |title=NJ Man, 38, Who Lives With Mom Arrested in Death Threat Against Florida Sheriff |url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nj-man-38-who-lives-with-mom-arrested-in-death-threat-against-florida-sheriff-who-cannot-wait-to-meet-him/4155860 |work=NBC New York |access-date=March 17, 2023 |archive-date=March 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317130452/https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nj-man-38-who-lives-with-mom-arrested-in-death-threat-against-florida-sheriff-who-cannot-wait-to-meet-him/4155860/ |url-status=live }}
In April of that same year, two other 4chan users, residents of California and Connecticut respectively, were also arrested for threatening to kill Chitwood on 4chan.{{cite news |last=Lamoureux |first=Mick |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/4chan-mike-chitwood-nazi-arrest/ |title=Another 4Chan Troll Who Lives With His Mom Arrested for Threatening Anti-Nazi Sheriff |date=April 4, 2023 |website=Vice News |access-date=April 4, 2023 |archive-date=April 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404151200/https://www.vice.com/en/article/5d9pwb/4chan-mike-chitwood-nazi-arrest |url-status=live }}{{cite news|last=Yankowski|first=Peter|url=https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/volusia-sheriff-mike-chitwood-ct-man-threat-kill-17910359.php|title=CT man charged with threatening to kill Florida sheriff on 'hit list' for condemning antisemitism|date=April 21, 2023|website=CT Insider|access-date=April 27, 2023|archive-date=April 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427120351/https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/volusia-sheriff-mike-chitwood-ct-man-threat-kill-17910359.php|url-status=live}}
On the evening of April 2 and morning of April 3, 2024, two threats were posted on 4chan claiming there was a bomb in the Norwegian parliament building. Oslo police closed down the parliament building while the Norwegian Police Security Service carried out an investigation. No bomb was found in the building. The culprit behind the threats was not identified and nobody was arrested in relation to the case.{{cite news |last1=Einarsdóttir |first1=Silja Björklund |title=Trussel mot stortinget |url=https://www.nrk.no/norge/trussel-mot-stortinget-1.16828547 |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=NRK |date=3 April 2024 |language=Norwegian}}{{cite news |last1=Haram |first1=Ola |last2=Fjellanger |first2=Runa |last3=Røsvik |first3=Eirik |last4=Brekke |first4=Anja A. T. |last5=Farestvedt |first5=Ingrid Bjørndal |last6=Eriksen |first6=Magnus Borlaug |last7=Oddstad (foto) |first7=Gisle |last8=Kristiansen (foto) |first8=Tore |last9=Sjøli |first9=Hans Petter |last10=Breivik |first10=Espen Moe |title=Stortinget stengt ned etter bombetrussel |url=https://www.vg.no/nyheter/i/mQ73xv/uavklart-sikkerhetssituasjon-paa-stortinget |work=VG |date=3 April 2024 |language=Norwegian}}
=Celebrity photo leaks=
{{main|August 2014 celebrity photo leaks}}
On August 31, 2014, a compromise of user passwords at iCloud allowed a large number of private photographs taken by celebrities to be posted online,{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29039294 |title=Apple confirms accounts compromised but denies security breach |date=September 2, 2014 |website=BBC News |access-date=September 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906060139/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29039294 |archive-date=September 6, 2014 |url-status=live }} initially on 4chan.{{cite web|title=Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, Ariana Grande Among Celebrities Exposed in Massive Nude Photo Leak|url=https://variety.com/2014/biz/news/jennifer-lawrence-kate-upton-ariana-grande-exposed-in-massive-nude-photo-leak-1201295180/|website=Variety|access-date=September 3, 2014|date=2014-08-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903091247/http://variety.com/2014/biz/news/jennifer-lawrence-kate-upton-ariana-grande-exposed-in-massive-nude-photo-leak-1201295180/|archive-date=September 3, 2014|url-status=live}} As a result of the incident, 4chan announced that it would enforce a Digital Millennium Copyright Act policy, which would allow content owners to remove material that had been shared on the site illegally, and would ban users who repeatedly posted stolen material.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29061358 |title=Stolen celebrity images prompt policy change at 4Chan |date=September 4, 2014 |website=BBC News |access-date=September 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904112008/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29061358 |archive-date=September 4, 2014 |url-status=live }}
=Gamergate=
{{see also|Gamergate controversy}}
Also in August 2014, 4chan was involved in the Gamergate controversy, which began with unsubstantiated allegations about indie game developer Zoë Quinn from an ex-boyfriend, followed by false allegations from anonymous Internet users.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/11180510/gamergate-misogynist-felicia-day-zoe-quinn-brianna-wu.html |title=#GamerGate: the misogynist movement blighting the video games industry |last=Stuart |first=Bob |date=October 24, 2014 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=January 25, 2015 |quote=Users from the messageboards Reddit – a sprawling series of communities – and 4chan – largely the trolls in the internet's basement – hurled false accusations |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025064836/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/11180510/gamergate-misogynist-felicia-day-zoe-quinn-brianna-wu.html |archive-date=October 25, 2014 |url-status=live }} The allegations were followed by a harassment campaign against several women in the video game industry, organized by 4chan users,{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/09/new-chat-logs-show-how-4chan-users-pushed-gamergate-into-the-national-spotlight/ |title=Chat logs show how 4chan users created #GamerGate controversy |website=Ars Technica |date=September 9, 2014 |access-date=September 14, 2014 |first=Casey |last=Johnston |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913121615/http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/09/new-chat-logs-show-how-4chan-users-pushed-gamergate-into-the-national-spotlight/ |archive-date=September 13, 2014 }} particularly /r9k/. Discussion regarding Gamergate was banned on 4chan due to alleged rule violations, and Gamergate supporters moved to alternate forums such as 8chan.{{cite web |last=Howell O'Neill |first=Patrick |date=November 17, 2014 |url=http://www.dailydot.com/politics/8chan-pedophiles-child-porn-gamergate/ |title=8chan, the central hive of Gamergate, is also an active pedophile network |website=The Daily Dot |access-date=January 3, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105101240/http://www.dailydot.com/politics/8chan-pedophiles-child-porn-gamergate/ |archive-date=January 5, 2015 |url-status=live }}{{cite magazine |last=Chen |first=Adrian |date=October 27, 2014 |url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/10/gamergate-supporters-party-at-strip-club.html |title=Gamergate Supporters Partied at a Strip Club This Weekend |magazine=New York |access-date=January 3, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141101085046/http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/10/gamergate-supporters-party-at-strip-club.html |archive-date=November 1, 2014 |url-status=live }}
=Murder in Port Orchard, Washington=
According to court documents filed on November 5, 2014, there were images posted to 4chan that appeared to be of a murder victim. The body was discovered in Port Orchard, Washington, after the images were posted.{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/4chan-images-match-grisly-washington-slaying-scene-investigators-n241806 |title=4chan Pics Match Slay Scene, Suspect David Kalac on Run: Investigators |access-date=November 5, 2014 |website=NBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150601230843/http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/4chan-images-match-grisly-washington-slaying-scene-investigators-n241806 |archive-date=June 1, 2015 |url-status=live }} The posts were accompanied by the text: "Turns out it's way harder to strangle someone to death than it looks on the movies." A later post said: "Check the news for Port Orchard, Washington, in a few hours. Her son will be home from school soon. He'll find her, then call the cops. I just wanted to share the pics before they find me." The victim was Amber Lynn Coplin, aged 30. The suspect, 33-year-old David Michael Kalac, surrendered to police in Oregon later the same day; he was charged with second-degree murder involving domestic violence.{{cite web |website=NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/4chan-murder-suspect-david-kalac-surrenders-oregon-n241806 |title=4chan Murder Suspect David Kalac Surrenders in Oregon |date=November 5, 2014 |access-date=November 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150601230848/http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/4chan-murder-suspect-david-kalac-surrenders-oregon-n241806 |archive-date=June 1, 2015 |url-status=live }} Kalac was convicted in April 2017 and was sentenced to 82 years in prison the following month.{{cite web |url=http://www.king5.com/news/local/port-orchard-man-sentenced-to-82-years-for-murder/440268329 |title=Port Orchard man sentenced to 82 years for murder |last=Binion |first=Andrew |date=May 16, 2017 |access-date=May 20, 2017 |website=KING-TV |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519224655/http://www.king5.com/news/local/port-orchard-man-sentenced-to-82-years-for-murder/440268329 |archive-date=May 19, 2017 |url-status=live }}
=Death of Jeffrey Epstein=
{{main|Death of Jeffrey Epstein}}
A report of Jeffrey Epstein's death was posted on /pol/ around 40 minutes before ABC News broke the news. It was originally suspected that the unidentified person who made the posts may have been a first responder, prompting a review by the New York City Fire Department, who later stated that the post did not come from a member of its department.{{cite web |last1=Winter |first1=Tom |last2=Collins |first2=Ben |last3=Arkin |first3=Daniel |title=4chan user posted about Jeffrey Epstein's death before it was public |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/4chan-user-posted-about-jeffrey-epstein-s-death-it-was-n1041931 |website=NBC News |access-date=30 May 2021 |date=14 August 2019 |archive-date=October 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021004923/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/4chan-user-posted-about-jeffrey-epstein-s-death-it-was-n1041931 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Yancey-Bragg |first1=N'dea |title=4chan post about Epstein's death before news was public didn't come from FDNY, officials say |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/08/13/4-chan-post-jeffrey-epstein-death-made-before-news-broke-not-from-fdny/2002514001/ |website=USA Today |access-date=30 May 2021 |date=13 August 2019 |archive-date=May 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522222636/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/08/13/4-chan-post-jeffrey-epstein-death-made-before-news-broke-not-from-fdny/2002514001/ |url-status=live }}
= 2022 Buffalo shooting =
{{main|2022 Buffalo shooting}}
On May 14, 2022, a mass shooting occurred at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, US. The accused, Payton S. Gendron, is reported to have written a racist manifesto released May 12 (two days before the shooting), with the manifesto including birth date and other biographical details, that match the suspect in custody.{{cite news |last=Collins |first=Ben |date=May 14, 2022 |title=The Buffalo supermarket shooting suspect posted an apparent manifesto repeatedly citing 'Great Replacement' theory |work=NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-suspect-posted-apparent-manifesto-repeate-rcna28889 |access-date=May 15, 2022 |archive-date=May 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220515050536/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-suspect-posted-apparent-manifesto-repeate-rcna28889 |url-status=live }} The author wrote that he began to frequent 4chan, including its Politically Incorrect message board /pol/, beginning in May 2020, where he was exposed to the Great Replacement conspiracy theory.{{cite news |first1=Troy |last1=Closson |date=May 14, 2022 |title=The accused gunman's racist manifesto outlined a plan to kill Black people and referred to 'replacement theory.' |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/05/14/nyregion/buffalo-shooting#the-accused-gunmans-racist-manifesto-outlined-a-plan-to-kill-blacks-and-referred-to-replacement-theory |url-status=live |access-date=May 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220515055142/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/05/14/nyregion/buffalo-shooting?smid=url-copy%23the-accused-gunmans-racist-manifesto-outlined-a-plan-to-kill-blacks-and-referred-to-replacement-theory |archive-date=May 15, 2022 }}
ISP bans
=AT&T temporary ban=
On July 26, 2009, AT&T's DSL branch temporarily blocked access to the img.4chan.org domain (host of /b/ and /r9k/), which was initially believed to be an attempt at Internet censorship, and met with hostility on 4chan's part.{{cite web |url=https://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/26/att-blocks-4chan-this-is-going-to-get-ugly/ |title=AT&T Reportedly Blocks 4chan. This Is Going To Get Ugly |website=TechCrunch |date=July 26, 2009 |access-date=October 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023000027/http://techcrunch.com/2009/07/26/att-blocks-4chan-this-is-going-to-get-ugly/ |archive-date=October 23, 2013 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.centralgadget.com/att-blocking-access-to-portions-of-4chan-2336 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090807200251/http://www.centralgadget.com/att-blocking-access-to-portions-of-4chan-2336 |archive-date=August 7, 2009 |title=AT&T Blocking Access to Portions of 4chan (Updated Again) |date=July 26, 2006 |website=CentralGadget |access-date=July 26, 2006 |first=Christopher |last=Price}} The next day, AT&T issued a statement claiming that the block was put in place after an AT&T customer was affected by a DoS attack originating from IP addresses connected to img.4chan.org, and was an attempt to "prevent this attack from disrupting service for the impacted AT&T customer, and... our other customers." AT&T maintains that the block was not related to the content on 4chan.{{cite web |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2350814,00.asp/ |title=AT&T Confirms 4chan Block After DoS Attack |date=July 27, 2009 |website=PC Mag |access-date=July 27, 2009 |first=Chloe |last=Albanesius |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100822214825/http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2350814,00.asp |archive-date=August 22, 2010 |url-status=live }}
4chan's founder Christopher Poole responded with the following:{{cite web |url=http://status.4chan.org/index.html#2174049422947602936/ |title=4chan Status |date=July 27, 2009 |access-date=July 27, 2009 |archive-date=April 24, 2021 |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20210424152026/https://blog.4chan.org/#2174049422947602936/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Albanesius |first=Chloe |title=AT&T Confirms 4chan Block After DoS Attack |website=PCMAG |date=July 27, 2009 |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2350814,00.asp |access-date=May 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702030444/http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2350814,00.asp |archive-date=July 2, 2016 |url-status=live }}
{{Blockquote|In the end, this wasn't a sinister act of censorship, but rather a bit of a mistake and a poorly executed, disproportionate response on AT&T's part. Whoever pulled the trigger on blackholing the site probably didn't anticipate [nor intend] the consequences of doing so.
We're glad to see this short-lived debacle has prompted renewed interest and debate over net neutrality and Internet censorship—two very important issues that don't get nearly enough attention—so perhaps this was all just a blessing in disguise.}}
Major news outlets have reported that the issue may be related to the DDoS-ing of 4chan, and that 4chan users suspected the then-owner of Swedish-based website Anontalk.com.{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,534941,00.html |website=Fox News |title=Feared Hackers Call Off Attack on AT&T |date=July 28, 2009 |access-date=July 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090729200153/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,534941,00.html |archive-date=July 29, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}{{cite web |author=The Bryant Park Project |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92767742 |title=When Your Pedicurist Is A Fish |website=NPR |date=July 22, 2008 |access-date=October 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021134337/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92767742 |archive-date=October 21, 2013 |url-status=live }}
=Verizon temporary ban=
On February 4, 2010, 4chan started receiving reports from Verizon Wireless customers that they were having difficulties accessing the site's image boards. After investigating, Poole found out that only the traffic on port 80 to the boards.4chan.org domain was affected, leading members to believe that the block was intentional. Three days later, Verizon Wireless confirmed that 4chan was "explicitly blocked". The block was lifted several days later.{{cite web |url=http://wirelessfederation.com/news/21888-verizon-wireless-restores-4chan-traffic-2/ |title=Verizon Wireless restores 4Chan traffic |website=Wirelessfederation.com |date=February 10, 2010 |access-date=October 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021082458/http://wirelessfederation.com/news/21888-verizon-wireless-restores-4chan-traffic-2/ |archive-date=October 21, 2012 |url-status=live }}
=Telstra ban=
On March 20, 2019, Australian telecom company Telstra denied access to millions of Australians to 4chan, 8chan, Zero Hedge, and LiveLeak as a reaction to the Christchurch mosque shootings.{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/christchurch-attack-video-australia-block-internet-isps-telstra-vodafone-1368174|title=4chan, 8chan, LiveLeak and Others Blocked by Australian Internet Companies over Mosque Massacre Video|website=Newsweek|date=March 19, 2019|access-date=March 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320063154/https://www.newsweek.com/christchurch-attack-video-australia-block-internet-isps-telstra-vodafone-1368174|archive-date=March 20, 2019|url-status=live}}
= New Zealand =
Following the Christchurch mosque shootings, numerous ISPs temporarily blocked any site hosting a copy of the livestream of the shooting, including 4chan. The ISPs included Spark, Vodafone, Vocus, and 2degrees.{{cite web|date=2019-03-19|title=Australian telcos block dozens of websites hosting Christchurch terror video|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/mar/19/australian-telcos-block-dozens-of-websites-hosting-christchurch-terror-video|access-date=2020-11-05|website=the Guardian|language=en|archive-date=December 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201193606/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/mar/19/australian-telcos-block-dozens-of-websites-hosting-christchurch-terror-video|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Brodkin|first=Jon|date=2019-03-20|title=4chan, 8chan blocked by Australian and NZ ISPs for hosting shooting video|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/03/australian-and-nz-isps-blocked-dozens-of-sites-that-host-nz-shooting-video/|access-date=2020-11-05|website=Ars Technica|language=en-us|archive-date=June 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615093434/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/03/australian-and-nz-isps-blocked-dozens-of-sites-that-host-nz-shooting-video/|url-status=live}}
See also
{{Portal|Internet|Comedy}}
International:
- 8kun/8chan, America
- Dvach (2ch), Russia
- Ylilauta, Finland
- 2channel, Japan
- Ilbe Storehouse, South Korea
Notes
{{Reflist |group=note }}
References
{{Reflist}}
= Bibliography =
{{refbegin|indent=yes}}
- {{cite book |last=Nagle |first=Angela |author-link=Angela Nagle |title=Kill All Normies: Online Culture Wars from 4chan and Tumblr to Trump and the Alt-Right |location=Winchester and Washington |publisher=Zero Books |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-78535-543-1 }}
{{refend}}
Further reading
- {{cite news |url= http://www.dailydot.com/business/4chan-10-years-christopher-moot-poole/ |title= Now 10 years old, 4chan is the most important site you never visit |work= Daily Dot |department=Interview with Christopher Poole |first= Fernando III |last= Alfonso |date= Oct 1, 2013 }}
- {{Cite news |last=Broderick |first=Ryan |title=4chan Is Dead. Its Toxic Legacy Is Everywhere |date=2025-04-25 |url=https://www.wired.com/story/4chan-is-dead-its-toxic-legacy-is-everywhere/ |access-date=2025-04-23 |work=Wired}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140108161345/http://www.ted.com/talks/christopher_m00t_poole_the_case_for_anonymity_online.html Archived TED talk about 4chan by its creator]
{{4chan}}
{{Anonymous and the Internet}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Anonymous social media
Category:Internet properties established in 2003
Category:Online obscenity controversies
Category:2000s fads and trends