# 8chan > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/8chan > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/8chan.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8chan > Source revision: 1349388465 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|Imageboard website}} {{Confuse|4chan}} {{For|the ''Robot 8-chan'' TV series|Toei Fushigi Comedy Series{{!}}''Toei Fushigi Comedy Series''}} {{Pp-protected|reason=Persistent [disruptive editing](/source/WP%3ADisruptive_editing) - "indefinite" does not necessarily mean forever, but for now best to keep it as semi-protected as disputes are addressed.|small=yes}} {{Use mdy dates|date= August 2018}} {{Infobox website | name = 8kun | url = | logo = 8kun logo 2021.png | logo_alt = A yellow brush-stroke styled 8 outlined in black, with "kun" underneath in white text outlined in black | logo_size = | screenshot = | caption = | advertising = Yes | commercial = Yes | type = [Imageboard](/source/Imageboard) | language = English (users can create language-specific boards) | registration = Optional | author = Fredrick Brennan | owner = {{plainlist| *[Jim Watkins](/source/Jim_Watkins_(businessman)) (2016–present) *[Fredrick Brennan](/source/Fredrick_Brennan)
(2013–2016) }} | launch_date = {{start date and age|2013|10|22|df=no|p=y}} | current_status = Active }} '''8kun''', previously called '''8chan''', '''Infinitechan''' or '''Infinitychan''' (stylized as '''∞chan'''), is an [imageboard](/source/imageboard) website composed of user-created [message board](/source/message_board)s. An owner moderates each board, with minimal interaction from site administration.{{cite web |last=Brennan |first=Fredrick |url=https://null.net/faq.html |title=FAQ |publisher=Infinitechan |website=null.net |access-date=November 23, 2014}}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} The site has been linked to [white supremacism](/source/white_supremacism), [neo-Nazism](/source/neo-Nazism), the [alt-right](/source/alt-right), [racism](/source/racism), [antisemitism](/source/antisemitism), [hate crime](/source/hate_crime)s, and multiple [mass shooting](/source/mass_shooting)s.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/aug/04/mass-shootings-el-paso-texas-dayton-ohio-8chan-far-right-website |title=8chan: the far-right website linked to the rise in hate crimes |last=Wong |first=Julia Carrie |author-link=Julia Carrie Wong |date=2019-08-04 |work=[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian) |access-date=2019-08-05 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821023116/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/aug/04/mass-shootings-el-paso-texas-dayton-ohio-8chan-far-right-website |archive-date=August 21, 2019 |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/04/technology/8chan-shooting-manifesto.html |title=8chan Is a Megaphone for Gunmen. 'Shut the Site Down,' Says Its Creator. |last=Roose |first=Kevin |date=2019-08-04 |work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |access-date=2019-08-05 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190805070853/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/04/technology/8chan-shooting-manifesto.html |archive-date=August 5, 2019 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |author-link=Kevin Roose |url-access=limited}}{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/04/business/el-paso-shooting-8chan-biz/index.html |title=El Paso shooting is at least the third atrocity linked to 8chan this year |last1=Mezzofiore |first1=Gianluca |date=2019-08-05 |access-date=2019-08-05 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820031158/https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/04/business/el-paso-shooting-8chan-biz/index.html |archive-date=2019-08-20 |publisher=[CNN](/source/CNN) |last2=O'Sullivan |first2=Donie}} The site has been known to host [child pornography](/source/child_pornography); as a result, it was filtered out from [Google Search](/source/Google_Search) in 2015. Several of the site's boards played an active role in the [Gamergate](/source/Gamergate_(harassment_campaign)) harassment campaign, encouraging Gamergate affiliates to frequent 8chan after [4chan](/source/4chan) banned the topic. 8chan is the origin and main center of activity of the discredited [QAnon](/source/QAnon) [conspiracy theory](/source/conspiracy_theory).Sources: *{{cite journal |last1=Guglielmi |first1=Giorgia |date=28 October 2020 |title=The next-generation bots interfering with the US election |journal=[Nature](/source/Nature_(journal)) |volume=587 |issue=7832 |page=21 |doi=10.1038/d41586-020-03034-5 |pmid=33116324 |bibcode=2020Natur.587...21G |s2cid=226052075 |doi-access=}} *{{cite web |last=Neiwert |first=David |date=January 17, 2018 |title=Conspiracy meta-theory 'The Storm' pushes the 'alternative' envelope yet again |url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/01/17/conspiracy-meta-theory-storm-pushes-alternative-envelope-yet-again |access-date=October 14, 2018 |website=[Southern Poverty Law Center](/source/Southern_Poverty_Law_Center) |language=en}} *{{cite web |last1=Collins |first1=Ben |last2=Zadrozny |first2=Brandy |date=August 10, 2018 |title=The far right is struggling to contain Qanon after giving it life |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/far-right-struggling-contain-qanon-after-giving-it-life-n899741 |website=NBC News}} *{{cite news |last=Rosenberg |first=Eli |date=November 30, 2018 |title=Pence shares picture of himself meeting a SWAT officer with a QAnon conspiracy patch |newspaper=[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post) |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/12/01/pence-shares-picture-him-meeting-swat-officer-wearing-qanon-conspiracy-patch/}} *{{cite news |date=November 30, 2018 |title=Broward SWAT sergeant has unauthorized 'QAnon' conspiracy patch at airport with VP, report says |work=Sun-Sentinel |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-ne-bso-swat-qanon-pence-20181130-story.html}} *{{cite web |last=Moore |first=McKenna |date=August 1, 2018 |title=What You Need to Know About Far-Right Conspiracy QAnon |url=https://fortune.com/2018/08/01/qanon-conspiracy-trump-tampa-rally/ |website=Fortune}} *{{cite news |last=Roose |first=Kevin |date=July 10, 2019 |title=Trump Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Right-Wing Social Media Trolls |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/10/business/trump-social-media-summit.html |access-date=July 17, 2019 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news |last=Weill |first=Kelly |date=2020-11-12 |title=QAnon's Home 8kun Is Imploding—and Q Has Gone Silent |language=en |work=[The Daily Beast](/source/The_Daily_Beast) |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/qanons-home-8kun-is-implodingand-q-has-gone-silent/ |access-date=2025-04-15}}{{Cite magazine |last=Thomas |first=Elise |date=February 17, 2020 |title=Qanon Deploys 'Information Warfare' to Influence the 2020 Election |language=en-us |magazine=[Wired](/source/Wired_(magazine)) |url=https://www.wired.com/story/qanon-deploys-information-warfare-influence-2020-election/ |access-date=2021-01-21 |issn=1059-1028}} Shortly before the [2019 El Paso shooting](/source/2019_El_Paso_shooting), a four-page message justifying the attack was posted to the site, and police have stated that they are "reasonably confident" it was posted by the perpetrator.{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/investigators-reasonably-confident-texas-suspect-left-anti-immigrant-screed-tipped-n1039031 |title=Investigators 'reasonably confident' Texas suspect left anti-immigrant screed |last=Collins |first=Ben |date=August 3, 2019 |work=[NBC News](/source/NBC_News) |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190807020925/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/investigators-reasonably-confident-texas-suspect-left-anti-immigrant-screed-tipped-n1039031 |archive-date=August 7, 2019 |access-date=August 11, 2019}} In the aftermath of the back-to-back mass shootings on August 3 in El Paso and [August 4 in Dayton, Ohio](/source/2019_Dayton_shooting), respectively, the site was taken off [clearnet](/source/Clearnet_(networking)) on August 5, 2019, when network infrastructure provider [Cloudflare](/source/Cloudflare) stopped providing their [content delivery network](/source/content_delivery_network) (CDN) service. Voxility, a web services company that had been renting servers to [Epik](/source/Epik), the site's new domain registrar, as well as Epik's CDN provider subsidiary BitMitigate, also terminated service.{{cite news |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/5/20754943/8chan-epik-offline-voxility-service-cutoff-hate-speech-ban |title=8chan goes dark after hardware provider discontinues service |last1=Robertson |first1=Adi |date=August 5, 2019 |work=[The Verge](/source/The_Verge) |access-date=August 5, 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190808121939/https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/5/20754943/8chan-epik-offline-voxility-service-cutoff-hate-speech-ban |archive-date=August 8, 2019}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/08/05/defiant-chan-vowed-fight-saying-its-heartbeat-is-strong-then-tech-firm-knocked-it-offline/ |title=A defiant 8chan vowed to fight on, saying its 'heartbeat is strong.' Then a tech firm knocked it offline. |last=Harwell |first=Drew |date=August 5, 2019 |newspaper=[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post) |language=en |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190806034040/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/08/05/defiant-chan-vowed-fight-saying-its-heartbeat-is-strong-then-tech-firm-knocked-it-offline/?noredirect=on |archive-date=August 6, 2019 |access-date=August 5, 2019}} After several attempts to return to clearnet were ultimately stymied by providers denying service to 8chan, the site returned to clearnet as ''8kun'' in November 2019 through a Russian hosting provider.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/04/technology/8chan-returns-8kun.html |title=It's Back: 8chan Returns Online |first=Kate |last=Conger |date=2019-11-04 |work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |access-date=2019-11-05}} ==History== thumb|left|alt=Green infinity symbol, with "chan" underneath in black lowercase sans serif text|Former 8chan logo 8chan was created in October 2013 by computer programmer [Fredrick Brennan](/source/Fredrick_Brennan).{{cite interview |last=Brennan |first=Fredrick |interviewer=Sam Machkovech |title=Full transcript: Ars interviews 8chan founder Fredrick Brennan |url=https://arstechnica.com/business/2015/03/full-transcript-ars-interviews-8chan-founder-fredrick-brennan/ |work=[Ars Technica](/source/Ars_Technica) |access-date=June 15, 2015 |date=March 17, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151125135937/http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/03/full-transcript-ars-interviews-8chan-founder-fredrick-brennan/ |archive-date=November 25, 2015}}{{cite web |url=https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/8chan/ |title=What is 8chan, the internet's most dangerous message board? |last1=Tunison |first1=Mike |date=September 10, 2017 |website=[The Daily Dot](/source/The_Daily_Dot) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320125207/https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/8chan/ |archive-date=March 20, 2019 |access-date=May 17, 2019}} Brennan created the website after observing what he perceived to be rapidly escalating [surveillance](/source/surveillance) and a loss of [free speech](/source/free_speech) on the Internet. Brennan, who considered the imageboard 4chan to have grown into authoritarianism, described 8chan as a "free-speech-friendly" alternative,{{cite web |url=https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/8chan-pedophiles-child-porn-gamergate/ |title=8chan, the central hive of Gamergate, is also an active pedophile network |last=O'Neill |first=Patrick Howell |date=November 17, 2014 |work=[The Daily Dot](/source/The_Daily_Dot) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526154936/https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/8chan-pedophiles-child-porn-gamergate/ |archive-date=May 26, 2018}} and originally conceptualized the site while experiencing a [psychedelic mushrooms trip](/source/psychedelic_experience).{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/01/13/this-is-what-happens-when-you-create-an-online-community-without-any-rules/ |title=This is what happens when you create an online community without any rules |last=Dewey |first=Caitlin |author-link=Caitlin Dewey Rainwater |date=January 13, 2015 |newspaper=[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150619093810/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/01/13/this-is-what-happens-when-you-create-an-online-community-without-any-rules/ |archive-date=June 19, 2015 |url-access=limited}} No experience or programming knowledge is necessary for users to create their own boards. Since as early as March 2014, its [FAQ](/source/FAQ) has stated only one rule that is to be globally enforced: "Do not post, request, or link to any content illegal in the United States of America. Do not create boards with the sole purpose of posting or spreading such content." Brennan claimed that, while he found some of the content posted by users to be "reprehensible", he felt personally obligated to uphold the site's integrity by tolerating discussion he did not necessarily support regardless of his moral stance. Brennan agreed to partner 8chan with the Japanese message board [2chan](/source/2channel),{{cite interview |url=http://knowyourmeme.com/blog/interviews/qa-with-fredrick-brennan-of-8chan |title=Q&A with Fredrick Brennan of 8chan |last=Brennan |first=Fredrick |interviewer=Don Caldwell |date=October 9, 2014 |work=[Know Your Meme](/source/Know_Your_Meme) |access-date=December 18, 2014 |archive-date=December 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141211070911/http://knowyourmeme.com/blog/interviews/qa-with-fredrick-brennan-of-8chan |url-status=dead }} and subsequently relocated to the [Philippines](/source/Philippines) in October 2014. In January 2015, the site changed its [domain](/source/Domain_name) after multiple people filed reports complaining to 8chan's [registrar](/source/Domain_name_registrar) that the message board hosted [child pornography](/source/child_pornography). Despite subsequently regaining the original domain, the site remained at the new domain with the old domain redirecting to it. Numerous bugs in the Infinity software led to the funding and development of a successor platform dubbed "Infinity Next". After a several-month-long testing period, a migration to the new software was attempted in December 2015, but failed.{{cite web |url=https://ghostbin.com/paste/qt2ww |format=Plaintext |title=qt2ww |last=Moon |first=Joshua |date=December 19, 2015 |access-date=December 20, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20151219125144/https://ghostbin.com/paste/qt2ww |archive-date=December 19, 2015}}{{clarify|date=December 2015}} In January 2016, development was halted, and the main developer, [Joshua Moon](/source/Joshua_Moon), was fired by Brennan.{{cite web |url=https://medium.com/@infinitechan/infinity-never-3d5f733af739#.dfm7b7te5 |title=Infinity Never |last1=Brennan |first1=Fredrick |author-link=Fredrick Brennan |date=January 26, 2016 |language=en |via=[Medium](/source/Medium_(website)) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207185528/https://medium.com/@infinitechan/infinity-never-3d5f733af739#.dfm7b7te5 |archive-date=February 7, 2016 |access-date=February 2, 2016}} Brennan himself officially resigned in July 2016, turning the site over to its owner, [Jim Watkins](/source/Jim_Watkins_(businessman)) and his son, [Ron Watkins](/source/Ron_Watkins).{{clarify|date=August 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://medium.com/@infinitechan/hotwheels-a-postmortem-9ea800d9227b |title='Hotwheels'—a postmortem |last=Brennan |first=Fredrick |author-link=Fredrick Brennan |date=July 4, 2016 |via=[Medium](/source/Medium_(website)) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201214349/https://medium.com/@infinitechan/hotwheels-a-postmortem-9ea800d9227b |archive-date=December 1, 2016 |access-date=December 1, 2016}} He cited the failure of the "Infinity Next" project and disillusionment with what 8chan had become as reasons. ===August 2019 removal from clearnet=== Following the three shootings in 2019 ([Christchurch, New Zealand, in March](/source/Christchurch_mosque_shootings); [Poway, California, in April](/source/Poway_synagogue_shooting); El Paso, Texas, in August) in which the perpetrators of each used 8chan as a platform to spread their manifesto, there was increased pressure on those providing 8chan's Internet services to terminate their support. [Matthew Prince](/source/Matthew_Prince), CEO of Cloudflare, initially defended his firm's technological support of 8chan on August 3, 2019, the day of the El Paso shooting: "What happened in El Paso today is abhorrent in every possible way, and it's ugly, and I hate that there's any association between us and that{{Nbsp}}... For us the question is which is the worse evil?" However, by the next day, August 4, with increasing press attention, Cloudflare changed its position, and rescinded its support for 8chan effective midnight August 5 [Pacific Time](/source/Pacific_Time_Zone), potentially leaving the site open for [denial of service](/source/denial_of_service) attacks. Prince stated: "Unfortunately the action we take today won't fix hate online ... It will almost certainly not even remove 8chan from the Internet. But it is the right thing to do." Prince wrote on the Cloudflare Blog:{{cite web |last=Prince |first=Matthew |author-link=Matthew Prince |date=August 4, 2019 |title=Terminating Service for 8Chan |url=https://blog.cloudflare.com/terminating-service-for-8chan/ |access-date=April 9, 2024 |website=Cloudflare Blog}} {{blockquote|8chan is among the more than 19 million Internet properties that use Cloudflare's service. We just sent notice that we are terminating 8chan as a customer effective at midnight tonight Pacific Time. The rationale is simple: they have proven themselves to be lawless and that lawlessness has caused multiple tragic deaths. Even if 8chan may not have violated the letter of the law in refusing to moderate their hate-filled community, they have created an environment that revels in violating its spirit.}} Brennan, the creator of 8chan, ceased being the owner of the platform in 2015 and stopped working for the website in 2018. He stated on August 4, 2019, that 8chan should be shut down, and subsequently thanked Cloudflare for its decision to pull support for 8chan.{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/4/20754310/cloudflare-8chan-fredrick-brennan-ddos-attack |title=Cloudflare to revoke 8chan's service, opening the fringe website up for DDoS attacks |last=Kelly |first=Makena |date=August 4, 2019 |work=[The Verge](/source/The_Verge) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815084804/https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/4/20754310/cloudflare-8chan-fredrick-brennan-ddos-attack |archive-date=August 15, 2019 |access-date=August 4, 2019}} [Tucows](/source/Tucows) also terminated its support as 8chan's [domain name registrar](/source/domain_name_registrar), making the site difficult to access. In the wake of Cloudflare and Tucows' changes, 8chan switched its domain register to [BitMitigate](/source/Epik), a division of Epik, a provider that had previously serviced far-right sites like [Gab](/source/Gab_(social_network)) and ''[The Daily Stormer](/source/The_Daily_Stormer)''. After 8chan moved to Epik, the company's CEO [Rob Monster](/source/Rob_Monster) wrote: "Freedom of speech and expression are fundamental rights in a free society. We enter into a slippery slope when we start to limit speech that makes us uncomfortable."{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2019/08/05/8chan-cloudflare-internet-services-pull-support/ |title=The internet is racing to cut ties with 8chan after another deadly shooting |last=Fischer |first=Christine |date=August 5, 2019 |work=[Engadget](/source/Engadget) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910062352/https://www.engadget.com/2019/08/05/8chan-cloudflare-internet-services-pull-support/ |archive-date=September 10, 2019 |access-date=August 5, 2019}} However, Voxility, the company that provided BitMitigate and Epik with its own servers and Internet connectivity, then took steps to stop leasing servers to BitMitigate, taking that site offline, and stated that the intended use of their servers violated their acceptable use policy. Monster changed his decision to provide content hosting to 8chan soon after the company's removal from Voxility, citing concerns that 8chan did not have the ability to adequately moderate content. However, ''[Ars Technica](/source/Ars_Technica)'' noted that the company had begun providing 8chan with [DNS](/source/Domain_Name_System) services.{{Cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/08/8chan-resurfaces-along-with-the-daily-stormer-and-a-nazi-site/ |title=8chan resurfaces, along with The Daily Stormer and another Nazi site |last=Salter |first=Jim |date=August 7, 2019 |website=[Ars Technica](/source/Ars_Technica) |language=en-us |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819035954/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/08/8chan-resurfaces-along-with-the-daily-stormer-and-a-nazi-site/ |archive-date=August 19, 2019 |access-date=August 11, 2019}} Although the website was unreachable through its usual domain on clearnet, users continued to access the site through its [IP address](/source/IP_address) and via its [.onion](/source/.onion) address on the [Tor](/source/Tor_(anonymity_network)) hidden services [darknet](/source/darknet).{{Cite news |url=https://apnews.com/d1a1ba8d3cf24202b5c45815b05c441d |title=8chan owner heading to US as lawmakers seek answers |last=Bajak |first=Frank |date=August 7, 2019 |access-date=August 22, 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20191027004844/https://apnews.com/d1a1ba8d3cf24202b5c45815b05c441d |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |work=[Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press)}} Security researcher and terrorism analyst [Rita Katz](/source/Rita_Katz) noted that a site claiming to be 8chan had also appeared on [ZeroNet](/source/ZeroNet), another darkweb network, although an 8chan administrator tweeted that their team was not the one running the site.{{Cite web |url=https://www.darkowl.com/blog/8chan-finds-new-home-on-dark-web |title=8chan Activates "Emergency Bunker" on Dark Web |date=August 6, 2019 |website=DarkOwl |language=en-US |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822062336/https://www.darkowl.com/blog/8chan-finds-new-home-on-dark-web |archive-date=August 22, 2019 |access-date=August 22, 2019}} On August 6, 2019, the [United States House Committee on Homeland Security](/source/United_States_House_Committee_on_Homeland_Security) called 8chan's owner, Jim Watkins, an American living in the [Philippines](/source/Philippines), to testify about the website's efforts to tackle "the proliferation of extremist content, including [white supremacist](/source/white_supremacist) content".{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-shooting-tech-idUSKCN1UX012 |title=8chan owner called before Congress, as latest host drops site |last1=Paul |first1=Katie |date=August 6, 2019 |access-date=August 7, 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190817014936/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-shooting-tech-idUSKCN1UX012 |archive-date=August 17, 2019 |work=[Reuters](/source/Reuters) |last2=Culliford |first2=Elizabeth}} On August 11, 2019, Watkins uploaded a YouTube video saying that 8chan had been offline "voluntarily", and that it would go back online after he spoke with the Homeland Security Committee.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/8chan-owner-says-site-will-stay-down-until-he-talks-with-congress/ |title=8chan owner says site will stay down until he talks with Congress |last=Gonzalez |first=Oscar |date=August 13, 2019 |publisher=[CNET](/source/CNET) |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190915105730/https://www.cnet.com/news/8chan-owner-says-site-will-stay-down-until-he-talks-with-congress/ |archive-date=September 15, 2019 |access-date=August 22, 2019}} In early September, Watkins traveled to [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.) for congressional questioning. In an interview with ''[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)'', Watkins said that 8chan staff were building protections against cyberattacks to replace Cloudflare's services, and that the website could come back online as early as mid-September.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/09/12/helicopter-repairman-leader-internets-darkest-reaches-life-times-chan-owner-jim-watkins/ |title=From helicopter repairman to leader of the Internet's 'darkest reaches': The life and times of 8chan owner Jim Watkins |last1=Harwell |first1=Drew |date=September 12, 2019 |newspaper=[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post) |access-date=September 29, 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190912203604/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/09/12/helicopter-repairman-leader-internets-darkest-reaches-life-times-chan-owner-jim-watkins/?noredirect=on |archive-date=September 12, 2019 |last2=McLaughlin |first2=Timothy |language=en |url-access=limited}} === Rebrand to 8kun and return to clearnet === On October 7, 2019, 8chan's official Twitter account and Jim Watkins' YouTube channel released a video that unveiled a new "8kun" logo. In it, a snake (which resembles that of the [Gadsden flag](/source/Gadsden_flag)) forms a shape of number 8 on top of the logo. The "8chan" name was based on the '-chan' suffix (shortened from 'channel') used by the imageboards that employ the [2channel](/source/2channel)-like format, but it was suggested that the new name is a [wordplay](/source/wordplay) based on [Japanese honorifics](/source/Japanese_honorifics); in that case, '-chan' can be interpreted as the one generally used for young children, especially females, while '-kun' suffix is used for younger males in general, or sometimes subordinates in the workplace. On October 9, 2019, 8chan's official Twitter account posted a notification that instructed board owners who wish to migrate to 8kun to send their "shared secrets" (a tool that enables board owner to recover an 8chan board) to an email address at 8kun.net. Brennan has vocally opposed 8chan's relaunch as 8kun, claiming the effort will not change the reputation previously associated with 8chan, and also citing his troubled relationship with 8chan administrators. Brennan has also suggested that the success of 8kun will depend on the return of "Q" and its followers. The new 8kun domain was registered with Tucows on September 7, 2019, but a spokesperson from Tucows stated that the company was unaware of the situation until the news about 8kun broke out, and that it was looking into the matter. 8kun was set to launch by October 17, 2019, however the attempt failed as British server provider Zare discontinued support. A spokesperson for Zare claimed in a statement to ''[Vice](/source/Vice_(magazine))'' that the team behind 8kun may have provided false details while registering themselves.{{cite news |last1=Gilbert |first1=David |date=October 18, 2019 |title=Inside the War to Kill Off 8chan — and Crush QAnon |language=en |publisher=[Vice News](/source/Vice_News) |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/inside-the-war-to-kill-off-8chan-and-crush-qanon/ |url-status=live |access-date=October 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022084624/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/zmj8y4/inside-the-war-to-kill-off-8chan-and-crush-qanon |archive-date=October 22, 2019}} On October 22, Watkins packed 8chan's servers into a van and transported them to an unknown location.{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Robert |date=November 4, 2019 |title=The State of California Could Have Stopped 8Chan: It Didn't |url=https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2019/11/04/the-state-of-california-could-have-stopped-8chan-it-didnt/ |access-date=June 9, 2020 |website=[Bellingcat](/source/Bellingcat) |language=en-GB}} This was later revealed to be in preparation for a move to the network VanwaTech, owned by [Nicholas Lim](/source/Nicholas_Lim_(entrepreneur)), the founder of BitMitigate. On November 5, 8chan came briefly back online as 8kun by using a [bogon](/source/Bogon_filtering) IP through Media Land LLC. Media Land LLC is owned by the Russian Alexander "Yalishanda" Volosovyk, who has been described as the "world's biggest 'bulletproof' hosting operator" and is known for enabling cybercriminal activity.{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Sean |date=November 5, 2019 |title=Breaking the law: How 8chan (or '8kun') got (briefly) back online |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/11/breaking-the-law-how-8chan-or-8kun-got-briefly-back-online/ |access-date=June 9, 2020 |website=[Ars Technica](/source/Ars_Technica) |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |last=Krebs |first=Brian |author-link=Brian Krebs |date=July 19, 2019 |title=Meet the World's Biggest 'Bulletproof' Hoster |url=https://krebsonsecurity.com/2019/07/meet-the-worlds-biggest-bulletproof-hoster/ |access-date=June 9, 2020 |website=Krebs on Security |language=en-US}} 8kun's trouble getting back online continued in the subsequent weeks, with Ron Watkins telling ''[The Wall Street Journal](/source/The_Wall_Street_Journal)'' "8chan is on indefinite hiatus" on November 16.{{Cite news |last=McMillan |first=Robert |date=November 16, 2019 |title=Notorious 8chan Forum Is an Internet Nomad |language=en-US |work=[The Wall Street Journal](/source/The_Wall_Street_Journal) |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/notorious-8chan-forum-is-an-internet-nomad-11573909201 |access-date=June 9, 2020 |issn=0099-9660}} 8kun moved to a [.top](/source/.top) domain on November 16, after the Tucows domain registrar stopped providing services earlier in the month.{{Cite web |last=Keane |first=Sean |date=November 25, 2019 |title=8chan's rebranded 8kun site goes offline days after launch |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/8chan-rebranded-8kun-site-taken-offline-days-after-launch/ |access-date=June 9, 2020 |website=[CNET](/source/CNET) |language=en}} CNServers, which indirectly provided DDoS protection to VanwaTech via Spartan Host, cut ties in October 2020, taking 8kun briefly offline as a result. VanwaTech subsequently moved to [DDoS-Guard](/source/DDoS-Guard), a Russian-owned service provider registered in Scotland.{{Cite web |last=Paul |first=Kari |date=October 20, 2020 |title=Far-right online forum 8chan loses internet after protection services are cut |url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/oct/19/far-right-online-forum-8chan-loses-internet |access-date=October 20, 2020 |website=[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian) |language=en}}{{Cite web |last1=Paul |first1=Kari |last2=Harding |first2=Luke |last3=Carrell |first3=Severin |date=January 15, 2021 |title=Far-right website 8kun again loses internet service protection following Capitol attack |url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/jan/15/8kun-8chan-capitol-breach-violence-isp |access-date=January 16, 2021 |website=[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian) |language=en}} === Usage in planning the storming of the U.S. Capitol === {{See also|2021 storming of the United States Capitol}} 8kun, which is one of the primary platforms used by followers of QAnon and those on the far-right, was used by rioters to plan the [January 6, 2021 storming of the United States Capitol](/source/2021_storming_of_the_United_States_Capitol). Some posts on the message board discussed which politicians the posters would kill once they entered the building, and some suggested killing police, security guards, and federal employees.{{Cite web |last=Collins |first=Ben |date=January 8, 2021 |title=Extremists made little secret of ambitions to 'occupy' Capitol in weeks before attack |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/extremists-made-little-secret-ambitions-occupy-capital-weeks-attack-n1253499 |access-date=January 16, 2021 |website=[NBC News](/source/NBC_News) |language=en}} After receiving questions from ''[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)'' following the attack, the cyberattack protection company DDoS-Guard terminated its service to 8kun's hosting provider, VanwaTech. Speaking to ''The Guardian'', one of DDoS-Guard's owners explained that the company had been providing their services to VanwaTech, not to 8kun directly, but that they "were not related to any political issues and don't want to be associated in any sense with customers hosting such toxic sites like QAnon/8chan". Cyberattack protection services were restored to 8kun when VanwaTech began using the American company FiberHub. On August 27, 2021, the [U.S. House of Representatives](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives) [select committee](/source/United_States_House_Select_Committee_on_the_January_6_Attack) investigating the storming of the Capitol demanded records from 8kun (alongside 14 other social media companies) going back to the spring of 2020.{{Cite web |last1=Breuninger |first1=Kevin |last2=Wilkie |first2=Christina |date=2021-08-27 |title=Congressional panel investigating Jan. 6 insurrection demands records from Facebook, Twitter, other tech firms |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/27/congressional-committee-investigating-jan-6-insurrection-demands-records-from-facebook-twitter-and-other-tech-giants.html |url-status=live |access-date=2021-08-30 |website=CNBC |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827184430/https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/27/congressional-committee-investigating-jan-6-insurrection-demands-records-from-facebook-twitter-and-other-tech-giants.html |archive-date=August 27, 2021 }} ==Controversies== Numerous controversies related to content posted on 8chan have arisen, to the extent that participation by individuals or companies in the website can itself cause controversy. On February 25, 2019, [THQ Nordic](/source/THQ_Nordic) hosted an AMA (ask me anything) thread on the video games board of the website, /v/, [for which it later apologized](/source/THQ_Nordic).{{cite web |url=https://techraptor.net/content/thq-nordic-issues-apology-for-8chan-ama |title=THQ Nordic Issues Apology For 8Chan AMA |last=Grosso |first=Robert |date=March 4, 2019 |website=Tech Raptor |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027052801/https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/thq-nordic-issues-apology-for-8chan-ama |archive-date=October 27, 2019}} ===Gamergate=== {{main|Gamergate (harassment campaign)}} On September 18, 2014, 8chan became entangled in the Gamergate harassment campaign after 4chan banned discussion of Gamergate,{{cite news |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2014/10/15/4chan-wizardchan-8chan-le-guide-des-forums-anonymes-les-plus-populaires-du-web_4505380_4408996.html |title=4chan, wizardchan, 8chan... s'y retrouver dans la jungle des forums anonymes les plus populaires du Web |last=Audureau |first=William |date=October 15, 2014 |work=[Le Monde](/source/Le_Monde) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528194203/https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2014/10/15/4chan-wizardchan-8chan-le-guide-des-forums-anonymes-les-plus-populaires-du-web_4505380_4408996.html |archive-date=May 28, 2019 |language=fr |trans-title=4chan, wizardchan, 8chan... find your way through the jungle of the most popular anonymous forums on the Web}} whereupon 8chan became one of several hubs for Gamergate activity.{{cite web |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2014/10/gamergate-supporters-party-at-strip-club.html |title=Gamergate Supporters Partied at a Strip Club This Weekend |last=Chen |first=Adrian |date=October 27, 2014 |work=[New York](/source/New_York_(magazine)) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809180327/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2014/10/gamergate-supporters-party-at-strip-club.html |archive-date=August 9, 2019}} The site was little-known prior to the controversy.{{Cite news |last=Gonzalez |first=Oscar |date=7 November 2019 |title=8chan, 8kun, 4chan, Endchan: What you need to know |work=[CNET](/source/CNET) |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/8chan-8kun-4chan-endchan-what-you-need-to-know-internet-forums/ |access-date=16 November 2021}} 8chan's initial Gamergate-oriented board "/gg/" also gained attention after being compromised by members of the [internet troll](/source/internet_troll) group [Gay Nigger Association of America](/source/Gay_Nigger_Association_of_America), forcing Gamergate activists to migrate to "/gamergate/". This replacement quickly became the site's second-most accessed board.{{cite news |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/josephbernstein/gamergates-headquarters-has-been-destroyed-by-trolls |title=GamerGate's Headquarters Has Been Destroyed By Trolls |last1=Bernstein |first1=Joseph |date=December 4, 2014 |work=[BuzzFeed News](/source/BuzzFeed_News) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417032357/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/gamergates-headquarters-has-been-destroyed-by-trolls |archive-date=April 17, 2019}} ===Swatting incidents and violent threats=== In January 2015, the site was used as a base for [swatting](/source/swatting) exploits in [Portland](/source/Portland%2C_Oregon), [Seattle](/source/Seattle), and [Burnaby, British Columbia](/source/Burnaby), most of them tied to the victims' criticism of Gamergate and 8chan's association with it;{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/01/8chan-tries-swatting-gamergate-critic-sends-cops-to-an-old-address/ |title=8chan tries "swatting" GamerGate critic, sends cops to an old address |last=Mattise |first=Nathan |date=January 4, 2015 |work=[Ars Technica](/source/Ars_Technica) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150628222440/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/01/8chan-tries-swatting-gamergate-critic-sends-cops-to-an-old-address/ |archive-date=June 28, 2015}} the attacks were coordinated on a [board](/source/Internet_forum) on the website called "/baphomet/".{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jan/13/gamergate-hits-new-low-with-attempts-to-send-swat-teams-to-critics |title=Gamergate hits new low with attempts to send Swat teams to critics |last=Hern |first=Alex |date=January 13, 2015 |work=[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian) |access-date=January 15, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014154938/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jan/13/gamergate-hits-new-low-with-attempts-to-send-swat-teams-to-critics |archive-date=October 14, 2019}} One of the victims of a swatting attack said that she was singled out because she had followed someone on [Twitter](/source/Twitter).{{cite news |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/1773840/police-called-to-burnaby-womens-home-by-online-harassers/ |title=Police falsely called to Burnaby women's home by online harassers |last=McElroy |first=Justin |date=January 15, 2015 |access-date=January 15, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910022805/https://globalnews.ca/news/1773840/police-called-to-burnaby-womens-home-by-online-harassers/ |archive-date=September 10, 2018 |publisher=[Global News](/source/Global_News)}}{{cite news |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/reckless-swatting-prank-sends-police-to-bc-womans-home/ |title=Reckless 'swatting' prank sends police to B.C. woman's home |author= |date=January 14, 2015 |access-date=September 30, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001150749/https://bc.ctvnews.ca/reckless-swatting-prank-sends-police-to-b-c-woman-s-home-1.2189547 |archive-date=October 1, 2015 |publisher=[CTV News](/source/CTV_News)}} On February 9, 2015, content on the "/baphomet/" subboard was wiped after [personal information](/source/doxxing) of [Katherine Forrest](/source/Katherine_B._Forrest), the presiding judge in the [Silk Road](/source/Silk_Road_(marketplace)) case, had been posted there.{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/security/2015/02/notorious-8chan-subboard-has-history-wiped-after-federal-judges-doxing/ |title=Notorious 8chan "subboard" has history wiped after federal judge's doxing |last=Machkovech |first=Sam |date=February 12, 2015 |work=[Ars Technica](/source/Ars_Technica) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410113409/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/02/notorious-8chan-subboard-has-history-wiped-after-federal-judges-doxing/ |archive-date=April 10, 2019 |access-date=February 13, 2015}} In 2019, a post threatening a mass shooting against [Bethel Park High School](/source/Bethel_Park_High_School) was posted on 8chan; as a result, an 18-year-old individual was arrested and charged with one count of terroristic threats and one count of retaliation against a witness or victim.{{cite news |url=https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2019/03/18/xavier-cisneros-arrested-bethel-park-school-threat/ |title=Teen Facing Multiple Charges For Allegedly Threatening Bethel Park High School |last=Schiller |first=Meghan |date=March 18, 2019 |work=[KDKA News](/source/KDKA-TV) |access-date=June 25, 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190319122002/https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2019/03/18/xavier-cisneros-arrested-bethel-park-school-threat/ |archive-date=March 19, 2019 |language=en}} ===Child pornography=== Boards have been created to discuss topics such as [child rape](/source/child_rape). While the sharing of illegal content is against site rules, ''[The Daily Dot](/source/The_Daily_Dot)'' wrote that boards do exist to share sexualized images of minors in provocative poses, and that some users of those boards do post links to explicit child pornography hosted elsewhere. When asked whether such boards were an inevitable result of free speech, Brennan responded: "Unfortunately, yes. I don't support the content on the boards you mentioned, but it is simply the cost of free speech and being the only active site to not impose more 'laws' than those that were passed in [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.)" In August 2015, 8chan was blacklisted from Google Search for what Google described as content constituting "suspected child abuse content".{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/08/8chan-hosted-content-disappears-from-google-searches/ |title=8chan-hosted content disappears from Google searches |last=Machkovech |first=Sam |date=August 14, 2015 |website=[Ars Technica](/source/Ars_Technica) |publisher=[Condé Nast](/source/Cond%C3%A9_Nast) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180607025904/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/08/8chan-hosted-content-disappears-from-google-searches/ |archive-date=June 7, 2018 |access-date=August 17, 2015}} === Donald Trump presidential campaign === In July 2016, U.S. presidential candidate [Donald Trump](/source/Donald_Trump) tweeted an image of [Hillary Clinton](/source/Hillary_Clinton) with a background of money and a six-pointed star which resembled the [Star of David](/source/Star_of_David), containing the message "Most corrupt candidate ever". The image had been posted to 8chan's /pol/ board as early as June 22, over a week before Trump's team tweeted it. A watermark on the image led to a Twitter account which had published many other overtly racist and antisemitic images.{{cite web |url=https://www.mic.com/articles/147711/donald-trump-s-star-of-david-hillary-clinton-meme-was-created-by-white-supremacists |title=Donald Trump's Star of David Hillary Clinton Meme Was Created by White Supremacists |last=Smith |first=Anthony |date=July 3, 2016 |publisher=[Mic](/source/Mic_(media_company)) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190222100531/https://www.mic.com/articles/147711/donald-trump-s-star-of-david-hillary-clinton-meme-was-created-by-white-supremacists |archive-date=February 22, 2019 |access-date=September 10, 2019}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-37021991 |title=Trump's shock troops: Who are the 'alt-right'? |last=Wendling |first=Mike |date=August 26, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322063729/https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-37021991 |archive-date=March 22, 2019 |work=[BBC News](/source/BBC_News)}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/04/us/politics/donald-trumps-star-of-david-tweet-came-from-a-fringe-website-a-report-says.html |title=Donald Trump's Star of David Tweet Came From a Fringe Website, a Report Says |last1=Flegenheimer |first1=Matt |date=July 3, 2016 |work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |access-date=September 10, 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160704072138/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/04/us/politics/donald-trumps-star-of-david-tweet-came-from-a-fringe-website-a-report-says.html?_r=0 |archive-date=July 4, 2016 |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie |author-link2=Maggie Haberman |url-access=limited}} === QAnon === {{main|QAnon}} 8chan is the home of the discredited far-right QAnon conspiracy theory. In October 2017, a 4chan user that referred to himself as "Q" started gaining attention by promoting conspiracy theories about the [deep state](/source/Deep_state_in_the_United_States).{{Cite news |last=Martineau |first=Paris |date=December 19, 2017 |title=The Storm Is the New Pizzagate – Only Worse |work=[New York](/source/New_York_(magazine)) |url=https://nymag.com/selectall/2017/12/qanon-4chan-the-storm-conspiracy-explained.html |access-date=March 26, 2018 |issn=0028-7369}} The next month, citing security concerns, Q moved to 8chan and only posted there from then on, eventually leading to an international movement.{{cite web |last1=Zadrozny |first1=Brandy |author-link1=Brandy Zadrozny |last2=Collins |first2=Ben |date=August 8, 2018 |title=How three conspiracy theorists took 'Q' and sparked Qanon |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/how-three-conspiracy-theorists-took-q-sparked-qanon-n900531 |access-date=November 11, 2019 |website=NBC News}} [Sean Hannity](/source/Sean_Hannity) has retweeted QAnon hashtags on his Twitter feed.{{cite news |url=https://www.salon.com/2018/02/20/anti-abortion-group-operation-rescue-has-become-fully-red-pilled-by-an-8chan-conspiracy-theory_partner/ |title=Anti-abortion group Operation Rescue has become fully "red-pilled" by an 8chan conspiracy theory |last=Kann |first=Sharon |date=February 20, 2018 |work=[Salon](/source/Salon_(website)) |access-date=March 14, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190806054419/https://www.salon.com/2018/02/20/anti-abortion-group-operation-rescue-has-become-fully-red-pilled-by-an-8chan-conspiracy-theory_partner/ |archive-date=August 6, 2019 |language=en-US}}{{cite news |url=https://www.mediamatters.org/alex-jones/infowars-fully-embraces-storm-conspiracy-theory-called-new-pizzagate |title=Infowars fully embraces 'The Storm', a conspiracy theory called "the new Pizzagate" |last=López G. |first=Cristina |date=January 8, 2018 |access-date=March 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027013919/https://www.mediamatters.org/alex-jones/infowars-fully-embraces-storm-conspiracy-theory-called-new-pizzagate |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |publisher=[Media Matters for America](/source/Media_Matters_for_America) |language=en}}{{cite web |url=https://medium.com/@willsommer/meet-the-storm-the-conspiracy-theory-taking-over-the-pro-trump-internet-3ec94bf7d8a3 |title=Meet "The Storm," the conspiracy theory taking over the pro-Trump internet |last=Sommer |first=Will |date=January 12, 2018 |via=[Medium](/source/Medium_(website)) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214043508/https://medium.com/@willsommer/meet-the-storm-the-conspiracy-theory-taking-over-the-pro-trump-internet-3ec94bf7d8a3 |archive-date=February 14, 2019 |access-date=March 14, 2018}} On March 14, 2018, the initial group of Q followers on [Reddit](/source/Reddit) were banned over their promotion of the theory.{{cite tweet |url=https://twitter.com/willsommer/status/974040645781291009 |title=Reddit has banned the main subreddit devoted to the right-wing "#QAnon" conspiracy theory popular on Infowars, and is apparently purging a bunch of users' accounts as wellpic.twitter.com/3EZvxbuVJH |last=Sommer |first=Will |date=March 14, 2018 |language=en |via=Twitter |access-date=March 14, 2018 |number=974040645781291009 |user=willsommer}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/reddit-bans-r-cbts_stream/ |title=Reddit bans popular deep state conspiracy forum for 'inciting violence' |last=Wyrich |first=Andrew |date=March 15, 2018 |website=[The Daily Dot](/source/The_Daily_Dot) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321062345/https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/reddit-bans-r-cbts_stream/ |archive-date=March 21, 2019 |access-date=October 26, 2019}} They quickly regrouped into a new subreddit, which featured posts from Q and other anonymous posters on 8chan in a more reader-friendly format. The subreddit was banned for a second time on September 12, 2018.{{cite web |url=https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/qanon-movement-reddit-ban-voat-facebook/ |title=QAnon Followers Have Limited Options After Reddit Ban |last=Rothschild |first=Mike |date=September 14, 2018 |website=[The Daily Dot](/source/The_Daily_Dot) |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514161035/https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/qanon-movement-reddit-ban-voat-facebook/ |archive-date=May 14, 2019 |access-date=December 12, 2018}} With a flood of new users on the board, Q asked one of the website's owners, Ron Watkins, to upgrade the website's servers in order to accommodate all of the board's website traffic on September 19, 2018.{{cite web |url=https://qanon.pub/?q=upgrade#2224 |title=Q |website=qanon.pub |access-date=2018-12-12 |archive-date=December 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215222217/https://qanon.pub/?q=upgrade#2224 |url-status=dead }} The movement has been linked with the [Pizzagate conspiracy theory](/source/Pizzagate_conspiracy_theory). The Q movement has also been linked to the hashtags #TheGreatAwakening and #WWG1WGA,{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/qanon-slogan-spoken-from-trump-rally-podium-as-fbi-warns-about-conspiracy-theory-related-violence |title=QAnon slogan spoken from Trump rally podium as FBI warns about conspiracy theory-related violence |last=Dunleavy |first=Jerry |date=August 2, 2019 |work=[The Washington Examiner](/source/The_Washington_Examiner) |access-date=October 26, 2019}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/one-of-canadas-more-prominent-politicians-is-sharing-qanon-youtubers/ |title=One of Canada's More Prominent Politicians Is Sharing QAnon YouTubers |last=Lamoureux |first=Mack |date=June 7, 2019 |access-date=October 26, 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627175513/https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/wjv7q5/one-of-canadas-more-prominent-politicians-is-sharing-qanon-youtubers |archive-date=June 27, 2019 |publisher=[Vice News](/source/Vice_News)}} which stands for "where we go one, we go all"; it is also sometimes linked with the phrase "Follow the White Rabbit".{{cite news |url=https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/follow-the-white-rabbit-conspiracy-theory/ |title='Follow the White Rabbit' is the most bonkers conspiracy theory you will ever read |last=Kelly |first=Tiffany |date=November 21, 2017 |work=[The Daily Dot](/source/The_Daily_Dot) |access-date=March 14, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925123023/https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/follow-the-white-rabbit-conspiracy-theory/ |archive-date=September 25, 2019 |language=en-US}} === Louisiana Police's antifa list === In September 2018, the [Louisiana State Police](/source/Louisiana_State_Police) were scrutinized for using a [hoax](/source/hoax) list of personal information about supposed [antifa](/source/Antifa_(United_States)) activists originally posted on 8chan's politics board. The document, dubbed "full list of antifa.docx" by police officers, actually contained the names of several thousand people who signed [online petition](/source/online_petition)s against then President Donald Trump. The State Police has refused to disclose the list, claiming it would "compromise" ongoing criminal investigations in which it expects arrests. A lawsuit against Louisiana State Police was filed on behalf of the record requester by Harvard lecturer and former public defender Thomas Frampton, alleging that the Police's refusal to release the list indicates that it actually believed the credibility of the hoax list and used it in investigations and litigations.{{cite web |url=https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20180902/08580340566/louisiana-police-appear-to-be-using-hoax-antifa-list-created-8chan-to-open-criminal-investigations.shtml |title=Louisiana Police Appear To Be Using A Hoax Antifa List Created By 8Chan To Open Criminal Investigations |last=Cushing |first=Tim |date=September 4, 2018 |website=[Techdirt](/source/Techdirt) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190622004814/https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20180902/08580340566/louisiana-police-appear-to-be-using-hoax-antifa-list-created-8chan-to-open-criminal-investigations.shtml |archive-date=June 22, 2019}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.newsweek.com/louisiana-state-police-circulated-fake-antifa-members-list-taken-neo-nazi-1101268 |title=Louisiana State Police Circulated Fake Antifa Members List Taken from Neo-Nazi Websites: Lawsuit |last=Porter |first=Tom |date=September 2, 2018 |work=[Newsweek](/source/Newsweek) |access-date=October 26, 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616190615/https://www.newsweek.com/louisiana-state-police-circulated-fake-antifa-members-list-taken-neo-nazi-1101268 |archive-date=June 16, 2019}}{{Cite news |url=https://wgno.com/2018/08/30/lawsuit-claims-louisiana-state-police-has-antifa-roster-from-neo-nazi-site/ |title=Lawsuit claims Louisiana State Police has 'antifa' roster from Neo-Nazi site |date=August 30, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520041118/https://wgno.com/2018/08/30/lawsuit-claims-louisiana-state-police-has-antifa-roster-from-neo-nazi-site/ |archive-date=May 20, 2019 |publisher=[WGNO](/source/WGNO)}} ===2019 shootings=== The perpetrators of three mass shootings, all in 2019, each used 8chan to spread their manifesto. As a result, there was increased pressure on those providing 8chan's Internet services to terminate their support, which led to the services companies' withdrawal from providing CDN and domain registry, taking the website off clearnet. ==== Christchurch mosque shootings ==== {{main|Christchurch mosque shootings}} Prior to attacks on two mosques in [Christchurch](/source/Christchurch), New Zealand, on March 15, 2019, the perpetrator, Brenton Harrison Tarrant, posted links to what was ultimately a 17-minute [Facebook Live](/source/Facebook_features) video of the first attack on [Al Noor Mosque](/source/Al_Noor_Mosque%2C_Christchurch) and his [white nationalist](/source/White_nationalism), [neo-fascist](/source/Neo-fascism) manifesto ''The Great Replacement'' (named after [the French far-right conspiracy theory of the same name](/source/Great_Replacement) by writer [Renaud Camus](/source/Renaud_Camus)) detailing his [anti-Islamic](/source/Islamophobia) and [anti-immigration](/source/Nativism_(politics)) motivations for the attack. The shootings overall left 51 dead and 40 more injured.{{cite news |url=https://www.news.com.au/world/pacific/gunman-who-opened-fire-on-christchurch-mosque-addresses-attack-in-manifesto/news-story/70372a39f720697813607a9ec426a734 |title=Gunman's family in Australia called police after news of Christchurch massacre |last1=Sutton |first1=Candace |date=15 March 2019 |work=[news.com.au](/source/news.com.au) |access-date=March 15, 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427163846/https://www.news.com.au/world/pacific/gunman-who-opened-fire-on-christchurch-mosque-addresses-attack-in-manifesto/news-story/70372a39f720697813607a9ec426a734 |archive-date=April 27, 2019 |last2=Molloy |first2=Shannon |last3=staff writers}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/14/world/asia/christchurch-nz-shooting.html |title=New Zealand Police Say Multiple Deaths in 2 Mosque Shootings in Christchurch |last1=Graham-McLay |first1=Charlotte |date=March 14, 2019 |work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |access-date=March 15, 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190315042000/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/14/world/asia/christchurch-nz-shooting.html |archive-date=March 15, 2019 |last2=Ramzy |first2=Austin |last3=Victor |first3=Daniel |url-access=limited}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/14/world/asia/new-zealand-shooting-updates-christchurch.html |title=Christchurch Shooting Updates: 40 Are Dead After 2 Mosques Are Hit |date=March 14, 2019 |work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190315085331/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/14/world/asia/new-zealand-shooting-updates-christchurch.html |archive-date=March 15, 2019 |url-access=limited}} Some members of 8chan re-shared it and applauded the attacks.{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2019/03/15/after-the-new-zealand-terror-attack-should-8chan-be-wiped-from-the-web/ |title=After The New Zealand Terror Attack, Should 8chan Be Wiped From The Web? |last=Brewster |first=Thomas |date=March 15, 2019 |website=[Forbes](/source/Forbes) |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190316102413/https://www.forbes.com/ |archive-date=March 16, 2019 |access-date=March 18, 2019}} On March 20, 2019, Australian telecom companies [Telstra](/source/Telstra), [Optus](/source/Optus), and [Vodafone](/source/Vodafone_(Australia)) blocked the websites 4chan, 8chan, [Zero Hedge](/source/Zero_Hedge), and [LiveLeak](/source/LiveLeak) as a reaction to the Christchurch mosque shootings.{{cite news |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 |last=Brennan |first=David |date=March 19, 2019 |work=[Newsweek](/source/Newsweek) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522041759/https://www.newsweek.com/christchurch-attack-video-australia-block-internet-isps-telstra-vodafone-1368174 |archive-date=May 22, 2019}} In New Zealand, the main ISPs, [Spark](/source/Spark_New_Zealand), [One NZ](/source/One_NZ), and [2degrees](/source/2degrees), followed suit in blocking 8chan and other websites hosting footage of the shooting.{{cite web |last1=Brodkin |first1=Jon |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/ |website=Ars Technica |access-date=21 February 2020 |language=en-us |date=20 March 2019}} ==== Poway synagogue shooting ==== {{main|Poway synagogue shooting}} John T. Earnest, the perpetrator of a shooting at a synagogue in [Poway, California](/source/Poway%2C_California), on April 27, 2019, and an [earlier arson attack](/source/Escondido_mosque_fire) at a mosque in nearby [Escondido](/source/Escondido%2C_California) on March 25, had posted links to his [open letter](/source/open_letter) and his attempted livestream on 8chan, which Earnest also named as a place of radicalization for him.{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/us-news/anti-semitic-open-letter-online-under-chabad-synagogue-n999211 |title=Anti-Semitic open letter posted online under name of Chabad synagogue shooting suspect |last1=Collins |first1=Ben |date=April 27, 2019 |access-date=April 29, 2019 |work=[NBC News](/source/NBC_News) |last2=Blankstein |first2=Andrew}} According to 8chan's Twitter, the shooter's post was removed nine minutes after its creation.{{cite tweet |author=((8chan (8ch.net))) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012221553/https://twitter.com/infinitechan/status/1122494322283167745 |archive-date=2019-10-12 |url-status=dead |user=infinitechan |number=1122494322283167745 |date=April 28, 2019 |title=The Poway shooter's post on 8chan was taken down NINE minutes after creation. There are only screencaps available and no archives exist since the post was deleted so quickly. The loudest groups publicizing this crime and giving attention to this CRIMINAL are the fake-news media.}} ==== El Paso shooting ==== {{main|2019 El Paso shooting}} [Patrick Crusius](/source/Patrick_Crusius), the suspect in a mass shooting at a [Walmart](/source/Walmart) store in El Paso, Texas, on August 3, 2019, allegedly posted a four-page white nationalist manifesto ''The Inconvenient Truth'' on 8chan less than an hour before the shooting began. 8chan moderators quickly removed the original post, though users continued to circulate links to this manifesto.{{cite web |url=https://www.bellingcat.com/news/americas/2019/08/04/the-el-paso-shooting-and-the-gamification-of-terror/ |title=The El Paso Shooting and the Gamification of Terror |last=Evans |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Evans (journalist) |date=August 4, 2019 |publisher=[Bellingcat](/source/Bellingcat) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822095544/https://www.bellingcat.com/news/americas/2019/08/04/the-el-paso-shooting-and-the-gamification-of-terror/ |archive-date=August 22, 2019}} ==See also== {{Portal|Internet|Technology }} * [DLive](/source/DLive) * [Gab (social network)](/source/Gab_(social_network)) * [Minds (social network)](/source/Minds_(social_network)) * [Parler](/source/Parler) * [Voat](/source/Voat) * [4chan](/source/4chan) ==References== {{cite news |last1=Martinez |first1=Ignacio |title=8chan is attempting to relaunch and rebrand—but it may already be doomed |url=https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/8kun-8chan-rebrand/ |access-date=16 October 2019 |work=[The Daily Dot](/source/The_Daily_Dot) |date=8 October 2019 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191018192922/https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/8kun-8chan-rebrand/ |archive-date=October 18, 2019 |url-status=live}} {{Cite tweet |number=1181796277392011265 |user=infinitechan |title=If you were previously a Board Owner on 8chan, please email us at admin@8kun.net with your shared secret if you are interested in migrating your board to 8kun. |date=October 9, 2019 |author=((8chan (8ch.net))) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012221552/https://twitter.com/infinitechan/status/1181796277392011265 |archive-date=2019-10-12 |url-status=dead |language=en}} {{cite news |last1=Gonzalez |first1=Oscar |title=Controversial site 8chan tries for a comeback under a new name |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/controversial-site-8chan-tries-to-return-under-8kun-name/ |access-date=16 October 2019 |publisher=[CNET](/source/CNET) |date=October 9, 2019 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191015070449/https://www.cnet.com/news/controversial-site-8chan-tries-to-return-under-8kun-name/ |archive-date=October 15, 2019 |url-status=live}} {{cite news |last1=Gilbert |first1=David |title=8chan Is Back from the Internet Grave — and It Has a New Name |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/8chan-is-back-from-the-internet-grave-and-it-has-a-new-name/ |access-date=16 October 2019 |work=[Vice](/source/Vice_(magazine)) |date=9 October 2019 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191010141624/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/j5yb44/8chan-is-back-from-the-internet-grave-and-it-has-a-new-name |archive-date=October 10, 2019 |url-status=live}} {{cite news |last1=Somos |first1=Christy |title='You need to hang together': Owner of 8chan releases video as site attempts to get back online |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/you-need-to-hang-together-owner-of-8chan-releases-video-as-site-attempts-to-get-back-online/ |access-date=16 October 2019 |publisher=[CTV News](/source/CTV_News) |date=October 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012094036/https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/you-need-to-hang-together-owner-of-8chan-releases-video-as-site-attempts-to-get-back-online-1.4631540 |archive-date=October 12, 2019 |url-status=live}} {{January 6 United States Capitol attack navbox}} {{Alt-right footer}} {{Christchurch mosque shootings}} {{Gamergate controversy}} {{Tor hidden services}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:8chan}} Category:2channel Category:Alt-right Internet forums Category:American photography websites Category:Child pornography websites Category:Imageboards Category:Internet properties established in 2013 Category:Internet trolling Category:Neo-Nazi websites Category:Online obscenity controversies Category:Tor onion services Category:QAnon --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [8chan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8chan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8chan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.