[bbctol]

I think it's more likely that without 4chan, the general trolling and immaturity may leak onto the rest of the internet, and the really intense racism/misogyny/conspiratorial weirdness will go further underground and anonymous. Whether this would be a good thing is debatable; I liked that 4chan was open enough anyone could check on it and see which way the undercurrents of the internet were heading, but it probably was a bad thing that lots of generally bored slightly strange teens got linked to that level of racism.

[ue_]

The idea that 4chan (and similar imageboard forums) are all racist is such a tiring and false trope. It's easy to get that impression, but there are jokes and actual racism and people who are indifferent. Part of the effect is that some users there have managed to trick most people into thinking 4chan is some scary, racist hellhole that no civilised, "mature" person would ever go to.

Rather, I find that 4chan and similar places (8chan etc.) dependent of the board, are very good sources for unrestricted discussion. You don't get your post hidden or deleted people it's abhorrent or people disagree with it. You don't get reported or "flagged" because you used some profanity. People don't coast along on high score points. If you screw up you can start again, because you're anonymous anyway, and nobody will care. Nobody will know.

If you don't believe what I'm saying, I'd suggest taking a deeper look at imageboard culture. I've helped people with programming problems and I've been helped by others. I've learned new things and commented on the news. I got into new hobbies. I discovered plenty of music. I discuss my religion; all on 4chan and 8chan.

And before you may be influenced to think I must be a racist or misogynist or "immature" etc. or have such tendencies by virtue of being a user, I will say that I'm a hard-left supporter of equality and rights for all. And I came to that status via debate and learning on the "worst" parts of 4chan.

Take from that what you will, but please do not spread misinformation or unknowingly (if it is unknowingly) perpetuate this culture of fear for 4chan. It's tiring and is one of the causes for 4chan's decline - people are turned away without having ever used the website.

[bbctol]

I am extremely familiar with imageboard culture, and have spent a lot of time on anonymous boards. 4chan is not "all racist." 4chan also has a lot of organized and motivated racists, which have had a particularly negative effect on its culture. The general white supremacist internet centered around Stormfront before the term "alt-right" gained any traction was openly organizing and recruiting through 4chan, and to act as if racism hasn't been a core aspect of 4chan's community since the advent of /pol/ indicates a lack of experience with the board. Let me reiterate exactly what I said: the top poster indicated that the negative aspects of 4chan would seep into the rest of the internet, and I expected that instead, the lighter negative aspects, of immaturity and trolling, would spread to the rest of the internet, while the fomenting of racism, misogyny, and overall reactionary rebellion would go deeper underground.

[M_Grey]

4Chan isn't a prison, it's an incubator. See: Pepe.

[lovich]

Pepe is used for everything. You can take any symbol and make it horrible if you start adding nazi paraphernalia to it. 4Chan happens to add that sort of stuff to everything

[KON_Air]

It even it has its own bronze age style end of days cult which promotes Trump for a more through destruction of the world. Got to admire how they managed to sell their stuff to early Trump shills and play internet frog illuminati.

[M_Grey]

Sure you say that, but try wearing a big swastika around and explaining its history.

[Mizza]

Prison is a criminal incubator.

[M_Grey]

Not all prisons, just the ones stuck in the 19th century... so that's all American prisons at least.