4chan creator steps down

[JerryBoBerry]

4chan creator Moot steps down after more than a decade

http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/22/moot-retires-4chan/

When Christopher Poole founded messaging board 4chan 11 and a half years ago, he was just a 15-year-old kid. Now, he's stepping down an adult with a Ph.D. (in large-scale community management, which fits him well) and more than a decade of experience running (by himself!) one of the most notorious online destinations. Poole is more widely known as "Moot," the pseudonym he uses around the internet, even to post updates about 4chan's current state of affairs, the most recent of which is his resignation. Over the years, we've seen him talk about many, many things, more than once discussing 4chan's financial woes. See, despite the website's size, it doesn't have backers and major advertisers: It relies mostly on banner ads with occasional donation drives during especially lean times.

It's easy to infer from the data Moot released earlier that 4chan's hosting costs are no joke -- he even used his own money at times to keep the site running as its sole administrator. According to the list posted on Twitter the website has enjoyed 42 billion pageviews and over a billion visitors for the past 11 years. In his interview with TechCrunch over his departure, Moot also said 4chan's user number has been a steady 20 million for the past five years. He believes "lo-fi web" or stripped-down forums like 4chan and Reddit are back in demand, as regulars tend to treat them as third places, locations where they can socialize outside of work and home.

When asked about the impact 4chan has on people in the same interview, he replied:

I think when people think about 4chan's impact of over the years they think of Lolcats, and Anonymous, and Internet jokes, but I think it's more. What's kept me invested over the years is that when someone comes up to me on the street [who knows him from 4chan], every single intersection with someone face to face have been very positive. "Thank you for 4chan because it helped me in a certain time in my life. I was in high school, or in college, or after work and wanted to blow off steam." I think it helped smooth over the peaks and valleys for people. It's this comfortable, reliable place they could go to after they got home. It was a respite.

Anyone who's ever dug into 4chan's forums knows it has deep, dark corners that are better off left unexplored, though. It's also been at the center, and even the birthplace, of a number of controversies, as people can post anonymously and threads disappear over time. That said, Moot told TechCrunch he wouldn't let his oldest brainchild (he's had a couple of startups since then) die. He's apparently spent the past couple of years preparing for his departure, promoting some volunteers to senior positions and working to make sure the site will be properly funded in his absence. As for what he's going to do after 4chan, Moot said he has nothing lined up at the moment and would love to just take it easy for now.

 

[Sansa]

I wonder if this is going to turn out to be yet another "you've been TROLL*D!" moment.

 

[Sevrin]

I thought it was "moot" and not "Moot". I guess it's pretty much moot now.

Live Q&A happening now, btw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYUKJBZuUig

 

[MrRodry]

Some interesting news about his decision.

Gamergate scandal convinced 4chan founder Moot to leave the site

This past January, when Christopher "Moot" Poole announced that he was stepping down as chief of online message board 4chan, he was vague as to what had led to his decision. But Rolling Stone's David Kushner reports that the extremely volatile "Gamergate" movement gave Poole the resolve he needed to leave the site he founded.

In an interview, Poole says that when both Gamergate and a separate controversy surrounding a number of nude celebrity photos came to life on 4chan last September, it was "probably the most stressful month of my life." As he explains, "Week after week after week after week, there's this new controversy ... I kept getting drawn back in."

Poole decided to ban Gamergate from the site, which is known to host all matter of extremely questionable content — especially on its infamous /b/ message board. He cited that the movement's leaders tried to use the site to reveal personal data about its enemies, and in some cases, even tried to launch attacks on those they disagreed with. Both were violations of 4chan's policies. The decision to ban the movement from the site put Poole in the crosshairs of the Gamergate lynch mob.

While it appears the stress surrounding Gamergate convinced Poole to give up his role as 4chan's only administrator, he had considered leaving the site for at least a year before these controversies flared out of control. Since its inception over 11 years ago, Poole, who's now 27, has been consumed by managing his creation. And despite 4chan's massive traffic — it counts 20 million visitors per month — the site hasn't been a massive financial success. Ultimately, Poole decided it was time to find other, less stressful ways to make the most of his life.

Source

 

[Sansa]

Wow this is really sad. I have never met him myself, but I have a friend who has been close with him for many many years.

I used to love this site before it got as nasty as it did, and I don't really blame him for stepping down when it means being associated as the fact of misogyny and harassment. Definitely wish him the best with whatever happens down the line. Saw this news earlier elsewhere an contemplated messaging my friend to pass along support, but that seems a tad inappropriate. Really hoped it was fake, but well...

 

[NataliaGrey]

God, I had such a crush on moot in high school. I've spoken with him a few times and he's a genuinely nice guy, so it makes me sad to see him quit 4chan for such negative reasons. I don't use the site anymore but it was a big part of my life at one point. Hopefully he moves on to something that gives good returns for his hard work.