A typical 4chan conversation
4chan is an imageboard website. Launched on October 1, 2003 by it's webmaster, Christopher "Moot" Poole, going by the name of "Moot" online, its boards are primarily used for the posting of pictures and for the discussion of manga and anime. Users generally post anonymously, and the site has been linked to Internet subcultures and activism.
4chan users have been responsible for the formation, and/or popularization, of many Internet memes. The site's random board, /b/, is by far its most popular and notorious imageboard, accounting for one third of the site's overall traffic, according to Wikipedia. The memes spawned by 4chan are often repeated throughout internet culture, including in Flash animation on Newgrounds and on the BBS.
Despite this, it's worth mentioning that as the internet progresses more and more, 4chan's influence on Newgrounds becomes less and less - most Newgrounds users are not 4chan users nowadays. This article is specifically referring to 4chan's influence on Newgrounds pre-2011.
4chan in Newgrounds Flash[]
Because of its influence over internet culture at the time, several movies on Newgrounds feature it. Some, like "4Chan City >:3" and "4chan 4evar", revel in the site's unique culture. [1][2] Others, such as "A day at 4chan", poke fun at 4chan.[3] Still others, including "ScientLOLojyuuichi!!", mention aspects of 4chan in indirectly related films.[4]
Memes accredited to 4chan[]
- Lolcats
An example of a lolcat: this is just one of many internet phenomena which was popularized by 4chan.
- Rickrolling
- Barrel Roll
- IMMA FIRIN MAH LAZER
- Chocolate Rain
- Pedobear
- "An hero"
- "So I herd u liek mudkipz"
- IT'S OVER 9000!
- Anonymous
- Dusty the cat
Anonymous[]
4Chan is claimed to be the the birthplace of the internet organization Anonymous. It remains a breeding ground for ideas and raids, in which a large number of Anonymous members attack a website by spamming them, defacing the site, or otherwise creating a nuisance. Most of the time however, when a raid, an organized attack on a specific target, is proposed, it is quickly shot down and the proposer is flamed.