29-04-2025
Was the 4chan hack a good thing for the internet?
The notorious imageboard forum 4chan was recently hacked in a major way — and for a moment, people thought it might be gone forever.
The site launched in 2003, and it gained popularity in part because users didn't have to provide a name in order to post.
Its unique sort of influence over internet culture is varied and far-reaching. For instance, the vigilante hackers Anonymous came from 4chan, and many of the internet's most beloved memes have been spawned there. However, a lot of online misogyny has its roots in 4chan, too.
Today on Commotion, New York Times tech reporter Mike Isaac and culture critic Rayne Fisher-Quann join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to look back on the platform's controversial legacy, as well as consider its uncertain future and whether losing it is actually a good thing for the internet.
WATCH | Today's episode on YouTube:
Panel produced by Ty Callender.
