| “ | 4chan is a simple image-based bulletin board where anyone can post comments and share images. | ” |
―Website description[1] | ||
4chan is an anonymous English-language imageboard website. Launched by Christopher Poole (born: 1988 [age 36–37]) on October 1, 2003,[2] the site hosts boards dedicated to a wide variety of topics, from video games and television to literature cooking, and more.
YouTube channel[]
The channel was created on September 4, 2013[3] and first uploaded one day later, on September 5, 2013.[4]
Website[]
History[]
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".[2]
April 2025 hack and leak[]
In April 14-15, 2025, 4chan was hacked by an alleged user of another imageboard, Soyjak Party. They later leaked a bunch of confidential things from the site, ranging from e-mails and passwords of admins, moderators and users, the site's backend/source code, the IRC, etc.[5][6][7]
Controversies[]
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".[8]
Internet raids[]
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."[9]
Users of 4chan and other websites "raided" Hal Turner launching DDoS attacks and prank calling his phone-in radio show during December 2006 and January 2007. The attacks caused Turner's website to go offline.[10]
Trivia[]
- Registration is not available, except for staff, and users typically post anonymously.[11]
- ZONE TOONS and NCHProductions have made animations based on 4chan.[12][13]
References[]
- ↑ 4chan.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Wall Street Journal (July 24, 2008). Modest Web Site Is Behind a Bevy of Memes. Archived from the original on August 29, 2008.
- ↑ 4chan. About. YouTube.
- ↑ 4chan PMQ/Q&A #4 by 4chan. YouTube. 5/9/2013.
- ↑ https://www.cyberdaily.au/security/11992-4chan-hack-claimed-by-rival-imageboard-soyjak-party
- ↑ https://cybernews.com/security/4chan-down-hacker-data-breach-suspected/
- ↑ https://www.wired.com/story/2025-4chan-hack-admin-leak/ (archive)
- ↑ The Guardian (July 24, 2008). Taking the Rick. Archived from the original on July 27, 2008.
- ↑ The Washington Post (August 10, 2010). 4chan users seize Internet's power for mass disruptions. Archived from the original on November 11, 2012.
- ↑ Justia Federal District Court Filings (January 19, 2007). Harold C. "Hal" Turner v. 4chan.org. Archived from the original on July 14, 2008.
- ↑ 4chan and /b/: An Analysis of Anonymity and Ephemerality in a Large Online Community (April 8, 2022). Archived from the original on August 1, 2022.
- ↑ 4chan 4evar by ZONE TOONS. YouTube. 20/3/2007.
- ↑ NCH's playlist of his 4chan animations
