| Revision as of 11:31, 21 December 2007 view sourceQuatloo (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users4,650 edits Category:Internet properties established in 2003← Previous edit | Revision as of 19:37, 21 December 2007 view source 67.38.42.37 (talk) ←Replaced page with 'INTERNET HATE MACHINE HACKERS ON STEROIDS'Next edit → | ||
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| INTERNET HATE MACHINE | |||
| {{Infobox Website | |||
| HACKERS ON STEROIDS | |||
| | name = 4chan | |||
| | logo = ] | |||
| | screenshot = ]<!-- We do not need to update this image every time the main page is updated. --> | |||
| | caption = The main page of 4chan.org as of ] | |||
| | url = | |||
| | commercial = No | |||
| | type = ]/TextBBS | |||
| | language = English, Japanese | |||
| | registration = No | |||
| | owner = "moot" | |||
| | author = "moot" | |||
| | launch date = ] | |||
| }} | |||
| '''4chan''' is an English language ] based on the Japanese imageboard ]. This imageboard is based primarily around the posting of pictures (generally related to ], ], and ]) and their ]. | |||
| ==History== | |||
| 4chan was founded as a project by "moot", a member of the ] forums<ref name="4channews2">{{cite web| url=http://4chan.org/news.php?all#6|title=4chan News Archive|publisher=4chan|accessdate=2007-09-19}}</ref><ref>http://www.thestar.com/living/article/257955</ref>. His website soon attracted anime fans from around the world and has grown greatly since its creation,<ref name="alexatrafficrankings">{{cite web| url=http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?url=www.4chan.org|title=Alexa traffic rankings|publisher=Alexa Internet|accessdate=2007-11-20}}</ref> eventually surpassing ] in traffic, currently ranking 352 amongst other websites (according to ]).<ref name="alexatrafficrankings2">{{cite web| url=http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?site0=www.4chan.org&site1=www.2chan.net&y=r&z=1&h=300&w=610&range=6m&size=Medium&url=http://www.4chan.org|title=Alexa traffic rankings|publisher=Alexa Internet|accessdate=2007-11-20}}</ref> | |||
| Sometime in ], the ] ] was started on 4chan as "Caturday", Saturdays where users posted pictures of cats, eventually adding ] to them.<ref name="Ikenberg 2007">"Lolcats' demented captions create a new Web language", Tamara Ikenberg, '']'', ] ]</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/2007/11/14/News/Iz.Not.Cats.Everywhere.Online.Trend.Spreads.Across.Campus-3099929.shtml |title = Iz not cats everywhere? Online trend spreads across campus|publisher=The Daily Pennsylvanian}}</ref> | |||
| ==Layout== | |||
| The activity of 4chan takes place on discussion boards, image and upload boards, and drawing boards. Currently, there are thirty-five different image boards, covering topics ranging from anime, weapons, and photography to real and animated pornography. Eight of these were "trial boards" until ], ], when all of them except the sports board were upgraded to permanent boards; the sports board was discarded.<ref name="4channews">{{cite web| url=http://www.4chan.org/news.php?all|title=4chan News Archive|publisher=4chan|accessdate=2007-01-10}}</ref> On ], ] the site added two new trial boards called ] and ].<ref name="4chanblotter"> {{cite web|url=http://www.4chan.org/blotter.php?all|title=4chan Blotter|publisher=4chan|accessdate=2007-02-16}}</ref> | |||
| Other boards include an ] board, an Artwork/] board, an upload board which is used for the uploading and discussion of ] movies, and nineteen text-based discussion boards. The discussion boards were once hosted on a separate site called "world4ch" (pronounced ''world four channel'') as an homage to the defunct world2ch, which itself was a website intending to be an earlier attempt to create an ] version of ], until they moved to the subdomain dis.4chan.org. | |||
| Because 4chan is provided to its users free of charge and consumes a large amount of bandwidth, its financing often becomes problematic. To avoid long periods of downtime caused by a severe lack of funds, such as the four "deaths" that plagued the site during its first year of existence, the 4chan staff regularly requests donations.<ref name="4channews"/> However, there have been numerous problems relating to the use of several different online payment services,<ref name="4channews"/> including ], YowCow, and the ] ]. The pornographic content hosted on 4chan violated the terms of services of various payment receiving services and so they refused to allow 4chan to use their services.<ref name="4channews"/> | |||
| ===/b/=== | |||
| The "random" board /b/, based on the Nijiura board of ], is by far 4chan's most popular board. This was confirmed by statistics released by 4chan staff, as well as the post count; As of <!-- This number need not be updated after every GET (40M is monumental enough I think?)-->], ], /b/'s post count has surpassed 40,000,000<!-- This number need not be updated after every GET --> posts whereas most of the other boards have yet to break 250,000. Only five other boards (/a/, /co/, /v/, /r/, and /s/) have accumulated more than 1,000,000 posts (/a/ and /v/ having over 4,000,000). After /b/'s 31,000,000th post was made on ], ], it took only 9 days to accumulate another 1,000,000 posts on /b/, meaning /b/'s posting rate has now attained an average of more than 111,000 posts per day. Certain post numbers, such as 12345678 and 22222222, and the aforemented milestones, are sought after, with a large amount of posting taking place to "get" the number.<ref name="faqget">{{cite web|url=http://www.4chan.org/faq.php#get|title=4chan FAQ on GETs|publisher=4chan|accessdate=2007-03-14}}</ref> | |||
| The humor of /b/'s many users, who refer to themselves as "/b/tards,"<ref name="jerseyjournal">{{cite news | |||
| | last = Winston | |||
| | first = Ali | |||
| | title = 'Hate Host' is hacked | |||
| | publisher = Jersey Journal, The | |||
| | date = ] | |||
| | url = http://www.nj.com/jjournal/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-0/116823968784040.xml&coll=3 | |||
| | accessdate = 2007-01-08 }}</ref> is frequently characterized by intricate ] and ]. As a result, newcomers and outsiders often find posts incomprehensible. In addition, /b/ is known to officially have a "No rules" policy, save for a ban on certain illegal content, such as child pornography and invasions of other websites, both of which are restricted by site-wide rules that also apply to /b/.<ref name="4chanTOS">{{cite web| url=http://www.4chan.org/rules.php|title=4chan's Rules|publisher=4chan|accessdate=2006-08-18}}</ref> | |||
| ==Anonymity== | |||
| 4chan is an anonymous BBS which does not require the user to supply any personal information, such as a name or email address, before being able to post messages. Unlike most web forums, 4chan does not have any kind of registration system. While the /b/ board currently forces all users to be anonymous, on the other boards the poster can use any nickname to his or her liking, making it possible to post under the name of someone else by simply entering his or her name into the posting form. Nonetheless, most users post anonymously. In place of registration, 4chan has provided ]s as an optional form of authenticating a poster's identity.<ref name="4chanFAQ"/> As the concept of anonymous posting is a defining feature of ]-like imageboards, the use of tripcodes generates controversy among 4chan users. Many posters who use them risk being singled out and ridiculed, often with the use of derogatory terms such as "tripfag." As anonymous posting causes posts to be attributed to "Anonymous," a ] on 4chan is the idea that Anonymous is in fact a single person or the true name of the posters. | |||
| Moderators will generally post without a name even when banning users or posting information. In this case, the post is attributed to "Anonymous ## Mod" (though even mods are sometimes known to simply post as "Anonymous"). The primary exception is when 4chan's founder "moot" posts information relating to changes in the site. | |||
| ==Controversy== | |||
| ===Blocks in the UK=== | |||
| Access to /b/ was blocked to customers of ], ] and ] in early June 2006.<ref name="UKISPthread">{{cite web| url=http://dis.4chan.org/read.php/img/1150410623/|title=BT / NTL /b/ Block - Stuff we know.|publisher=4chan|accessdate=2006-08-18}}</ref> For some users, access to /r/, /s/, and /t/ was also affected. While moderators attempt to remove instances of illegal content as soon as possible, as well as ban the individuals responsible for them, the prevalence of such content has led systems like ] to blacklist the site. The 4chan ] and ] also state that illegal material (e.g. child pornography, posting of personal information, invasions of other Internet communities, etc.) will not be tolerated, and will be punished appropriately.<ref name="4chanTOS"/><ref name="4chanFAQ">{{cite web| url=http://www.4chan.org/faq.php|title=4chan FAQ|publisher=4chan|accessdate=2006-08-18}}</ref> Moderators have also recently taken stronger measures against illicit content. For example, on ], ], a reporting system was implemented on all of 4chan's image, upload, and oekaki boards, allowing any user to 'report' a post that contains illegal material, or material that violates 4chan's terms of use. On ], ], the moderators of /b/ began enforcing previously neglected rules regarding sexually suggestive pictures of under-age teenagers, invasions of other websites, and posting of personal information. Infractions would now result in bans applied to the original poster and anyone posting in the thread, whether he or she supported the content or not. Many users of /b/ responded by attacking /b/ with automatic floods and spam. | |||
| Some suspect that the blocks are related to the efforts of the ]; however, the "IWF-led block" theory has several discrepancies. Firstly, the Internet service providers (ISP) that continue to block /b/ are BT Internet and NTL, with UKOnline appearing to have removed its restriction after a few weeks. Secondly, the IWF themselves confirmed that "no part of the URL for the site 4chan.org is included in our live database."<ref name="UKISPreplyIWF">{{cite web| url=http://dis.4chan.org/read/img/1150410623/86|title=BT / NTL /b/ Block - Stuff we know.-''Reply #86''|publisher=4chan|accessdate=2006-08-18}}</ref> Investigations by 4chan users have revealed that BT's support teams claim to have no knowledge of a block on any part of the URL 4chan.org.<ref name="UKISPreplyBT">{{cite web| url=http://dis.4chan.org/read/img/1150410623/127|title=BT / NTL /b/ Block - Stuff we know.-''Reply #127''|publisher=4chan|accessdate=2006-08-18}}</ref> Finally, the BT block on /b/ has evolved, with new workarounds redirected to the ban page or a nondescript 404 within mere hours of being discovered.<ref name="UKISPreply404">{{cite web| url=http://dis.4chan.org/read/img/1150410623/126|title=BT / NTL /b/ Block - Stuff we know.-''Reply #126''|publisher=4chan||accessdate=2006-08-18}}</ref> These blocks also have an erratic nature, apparently having been suddenly lifted, but reinstated days later, only to be lifted again within an equally short time period.<ref name="UKISPthread"/> However, some of the perceived inconsistencies in this theory are directly contradicted by claims made by 4chan's staff and other sources. For example, on ], ], while being filmed during a 4chan panel at ] in which he was fielding questions from the audience, moot, the owner of 4chan, stated that the blockings of /b/ and some of the other boards have indeed been a result of the ] system. /b/'s front page has also been removed from Google search results due to a notice sent by the IWF to Google.<ref name="Google Results">{{cite web| url=http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.4chan.org%2Fb&btnG=Search|title=http://img.4chan.org/b/imgboard.htm - Google Search|publisher=Google Search|accessdate=2006-10-14}}</ref><ref name="ChillingEffectsNotice">{{cite web| url=http://www.chillingeffects.org/notice.cgi?sID=1161|title=Child pornography complaint concerning Google search|publisher=Chilling Effects Clearinghouse|accessdate=2006-10-13}}</ref> | |||
| ===NFL bomb threat hoax=== | |||
| ], ] by Brahm.]] | |||
| On ], ] the ] warned ] officials in ], ], ], ], ], ], and ] about a possible threat involving the simultaneous use of ]s at stadiums in those cities.<ref name="abcnewsbombthreat">{{cite web| url=http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2591698|title=Man charged with stadium bomb threat hoax|publisher=ABC News|accessdate=2006-10-20}}</ref> The threat claimed that the attack would be carried out on ], the final day of the ] holy month of ].<ref name="internetnewsbombthreat">{{cite web| url=http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3639301|title=Man Charged in Internet Bomb Threats|publisher=InternetNews.com|accessdate=2006-10-20}}</ref> Both the ] and the ] expressed doubt concerning the credibility of the threats, but still warned the relevant organizations as a precaution. The games proceeded as planned but under a higher level of security awareness. | |||
| The threats came to light in the national media after they were reposted on 4chan's /b/ more than forty times by ] between ] and ] of 2006.<ref name="bloombergnewsbombthreat">{{cite web| url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aVpJWbr6YesA&refer=home|title=Wisconsin Man Is Charged in Fake NFL Stadium Threats|publisher=Bloomberg.com|accessdate=2006-10-20}}</ref> The threat was originally posted on . The site crashed due to a high volume of traffic incurred after ] posted a link to it, and it was reposted on 4chan and soon became associated with that site. <ref name="The Friend Society">{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VPR6O98NYs|title=New Attack on America, Be Afraid|publisher=CBS News|}}</ref> | |||
| On ], ], Brahm turned himself in to federal authorities. He was charged with fabricating a fake ] threat and was taken into custody by police.<ref name="nyctimesnflbombhoax">{{cite web| url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/21/us/21stadium.html?ex=1185681600&en=6f5000744e8dd0aa&ei=5070|title=Man, 20, Arrested in Stadium Threat Hoax|publisher=The New York Times Company|last=Smothers|first=Ronald|date=2006-10-20|accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.<ref name="smokinggundocument">{{cite web| url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1020062brahm1.html|title=Knucklehead Nabbed In "Dirty Bomb" Hoax|publisher=thesmokinggun.com|accessdate=2006-10-20}}</ref> | |||
| ===Hal Turner=== | |||
| In December 2006 and January 2007, individuals who identified themselves as /b/tards "raided" ] ], taking his site offline, and costing thousands of dollars of bandwidth bills according to Turner. Turner retaliated by sending a "formal legal notice of criminal activity in violation of several federal laws" by email to 7chan, multacom, and multicom, as well as redirecting his domain to 420chan.org causing that site to take a bandwidth hit as well.<ref name="jerseyjournal"/><ref name="freep">{{cite web | url=http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070205/NEWS07/70205031/0/NEWS06 | publisher=freep.com | title=Cyber foes find ways to silence hate-talk radio host | accessdate=2007-02-28}}</ref> <ref name="halemailnotice">{{cite web|url=http://www.halturnershow.com/HalTurnerRetaliatesForAttackOnRadioShow.html|title=Hal Turner Retaliates For Attack On Radio Show|accessdate=2007-07-21}}</ref> He also sued 4chan, 7chan, and other websites in court over copyright infringement; however, he lost his plea for an injunction and failed to receive letters from the court.<ref name="halsuecopyright">{{cite web | url=http://dockets.justia.com/docket/court-njdce/case_no-2:2007cv00306/case_id-198438/ | publisher=Justia | title=Harold C. "Hal" Turner v. 4chan.org | accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> | |||
| ===False claims of responsibility=== | |||
| <!--DO NOT ADD ANY MORE EXAMPLES WITHOUT A VERY GOOD REASON. This is here primarily to warn people not to believe in such potential hoaxes unless law enforcement or some other reputable source confirms it as absolutely true. --> | |||
| Immediately following widely publicised killings, particularly ]s, false claims of responsibility have surfaced on 4chan - supported by fake and back-dated screenshots of the killer writing that he is about to commit murder/suicide at the location. For example, while news of the 2007 ] was breaking, some news sources reported that the killer had posted about his plans on 4chan. Most such news reports were quietly removed once it became clear that the post was a hoax, but several months later some such reports still remained posted without retraction.<ref>{{cite news|title="I dag ska jag döda"|url=http://www.expressen.se/1.642133|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070610003601/http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/1.642133|work=]|date=2007-04-18|archivedate=2007-06-10|author=Gunnar Johansson and Åsa Asplid|language=Swedish}}</ref> | |||
| ===KTTV Fox 11 News report=== | |||
| <!-- DO NOT mention any names of living individuals unless they were EXPLICITLY stated in the Fox 11 report. Any user who adds the individual's name, again, will be blocked. --> | |||
| On ], ], ] Fox 11 News based in ] aired a report on "Anonymous," calling users of *chan imageboards a group of "hackers on steroids" and "domestic terrorists". The report covered an attack on a ] user, who claimed to have had his MySpace account hacked into by "Anonymous", and plastered with ] images uploaded by the hackers. The MySpace user also claimed a virus written by "Anonymous" hackers was sent to him and to ninety friends on his MySpace contact list, crashing thirty-two computers. The report also featured an anonymous former "hacker" who had fallen out with "Anonymous" and explained his view of the imageboards.<ref name="foxnewsanonreport"/> | |||
| In addition, the report also mentioned "raids" on ], a "national campaign to spoil the ] ending", and the previously mentioned NFL bomb threat hoax. Footage of an exploding yellow van appeared several times during the report, marked with the tiny word 'demonstration'.<ref name="foxnewsanonreport"/> | |||
| It is most likely the report is directed towards users of 4chan, ] and ], due to a high level of involvement by those websites in activities shown in the video.<ref name="foxnewsanonreport">{{cite web|url=http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/pages/ContentDetail?contentId=3894628|publisher=Fox Television Stations, Inc.|title=FOX 11 Investigates: 'Anonymous'|accessdate=2007-08-11}}</ref> Although Fox does not explicitly mention 4chan, it does implicate similar sites.<ref name="slashdot">{{cite web|url=http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/07/07/28/1145204.shtml|title=AC = Domestic Terrorists?|accessdate=2007-07-30|author="Miang", ] (ed.)|date=2007-07-28|format=News summary|publisher=Slashdot}}</ref> The news piece made reference to "secret websites", whereas 4chan and similar imageboards (420chan's Invasion board /i/ is clearly shown) are not private and are available to view publicly. The news report prompted hilarity among *chan users, as Fox News' facts were ridiculously blown out of proportion and many of them were just outright wrong (Anonymous is merely a term used to refer to a *chan poster, not a nation-wide syndicate of hackers). | |||
| ===Pflugerville High School terrorist threat=== | |||
| Around midnight on ], ], a student made a terrorist threat against his ] high school. People on 4chan<ref> Here are just more related threads http://4chanarchive.org/brchive/dspl_thread.php5?thread_id=39103157 http://4chanarchive.org/brchive/dspl_thread.php5?thread_id=39148206 http://4chanarchive.org/brchive/dspl_thread.php5?thread_id=39168208 http://4chanarchive.org/brchive/dspl_thread.php5?thread_id=39189537</ref> helped track him down by finding the perpetrator's father's name in the ] data of a photograph he took, and contacted the police. He was arrested before school began that day.<ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref> | |||
| ===Melbourne gun threat=== | |||
| On ], ], Australian Jarrad Willis was arrested for posting a threat on 4chan to ''"shoot and kill as many people as I can until... I am incapacitated or killed by the police"''. Police investigated a possible connection to the ], which had happened hours before, but there was no indication that Willis was in any way connected to the shooting.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/net-shooting-threat-australian-man-held/2007/12/08/1196813079398.html|title=Net shooting threat: Australian man held|publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=2006-12-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22892993-661,00.html|title=Student faces jail over online joke|publisher=Herald and Weekly Times|accessdate=2006-12-14}}</ref> | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *], 4chan's unofficial mascot | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{reflist|2}} | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| * | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| <!-- The 4chan article on Simple English Misplaced Pages has been deleted. --> | |||
| <!-- ] --> | |||
| ] | |||
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Revision as of 19:37, 21 December 2007
INTERNET HATE MACHINE HACKERS ON STEROIDS