Do you have any experiences with 4chan or other -chan websites? Maybe you want to share them?

[noname223]

I think I never visited 4chan. I read a thread where someone described his past on that website. It seems to be a disturbing platform. But there are even more disturbing websites with the -chan in its name.


I read a couple of threads some minutes ago on here and yes some of them were disturbing. But most of them are rather pretty sad. Traumatized, abused, bullied people who are wrecks in agongy which causes them to weird behavior. I think it is important not to judge too harshly as long they are not hurting someone else. Though sometimes I have the feeling some people need to be protected from themselves when they punish themselves on purpose for example. I know this by myself. I was exposed to child abuse and I still have the desire to punish myself for not being enough. Acceptance can be very hard.

My investigative research which consisted of skimming the wikipedia article of 4chan made me uncomfortable. I am scared because those websites might contain a lot of illegal content. I don't know much but I think ironically on such places they call SaSu soulless, cancer of the internet (my wording) and the worst place on the internet etc.

I cannot really understand that.
Here are things that make 4chan way worse ethically compared to SaSa in my opinion:

1. On 4chan it is a common practice to say to someone kys. (kill yourself) This does not get punished at all. It is just a standard phrase used "for fun". That is literally encouraging suicide. For me this would be enough to stay away from that website. Such a culture is highly toxic.

2. In contrast to SaSu gore is common. Often even to make fun of vulnerable people in their last seconds. Just for fun. Disgusting. Even the torture of animals is common.

3. Politically extreme content is widespread there. Even shooters announced their terrorism on these plattforms.

4. I don't know that much about 4chan but pornography is also common on that website. And due to the fact not a little percentage of pornography is uploaded without consent whereas SaSu does not allow porn this is another point in favor of SaSu. They also like shock content which means probably a lot of questionable content in this relation.

In general 4chan seems for me to be a website for people who don't know what to do with their freetime. Whereas not a few people on SaSu say that this place is their last refuge.

SaSu is without a doubt also a controversial website. But here a lot of people with a deep sense of justice who would not accept some of these points on this list.

For example there was recently one member on SaSu who said he does not feel welcome in this forum and more than 44 people left a welcoming reaction. I think on 4chan this probably would be unimaginable.

 

[novi.jpg]

I think I never visited 4chan. I read a thread where someone described his past on that website. It seems to be a disturbing platform. But there are even more disturbing websites with the -chan in its name.


I read a couple of threads some minutes ago on here and yes some of them were disturbing. But most of them are rather pretty sad. Traumatized, abused, bullied people who are wrecks in agongy which causes them to weird behavior. I think it is important not to judge too harshly as long they are not hurting someone else. Though sometimes I have the feeling some people need to be protected from themselves when they punish themselves on purpose for example. I know this by myself. I was exposed to child abuse and I still have the desire to punish myself for not being enough. Acceptance can be very hard.

My investigative research which consisted of skimming the wikipedia article of 4chan made me uncomfortable. I am scared because those websites might contain a lot of illegal content. I don't know much but I think ironically on such places they call SaSu soulless, cancer of the internet (my wording) and the worst place on the internet etc.

I cannot really understand that.
Here are things that make 4chan way worse ethically compared to SaSa in my opinion:

1. On 4chan it is a common practice to say to someone kys. (kill yourself) This does not get punished at all. It is just a standard phrase used "for fun". That is literally encouraging suicide. For me this would be enough to stay away from that website. Such a culture is highly toxic.

2. In contrast to SaSu gore is common. Often even to make fun of vulnerable people in their last seconds. Just for fun. Disgusting. Even the torture of animals is common.

3. Politically extreme content is widespread there. Even shooters announced their terrorism on these plattforms.

4. I don't know that much about 4chan but pornography is also common on that website. And due to the fact not a little percentage of pornography is uploaded without consent whereas SaSu does not allow porn this is another point in favor of SaSu. They also like shock content which means probably a lot of questionable content in this relation.

In general 4chan seems for me to be a website for people who don't know what to do with their freetime. Whereas not a few people on SaSu say that this place is their last refuge.

SaSu is without a doubt also a controversial website. But here a lot of people with a deep sense of justice who would not accept some of these points on this list.

For example there was recently one member on SaSu who said he does not feel welcome in this forum and more than 44 people left a welcoming reaction. I think on 4chan this probably would be unimaginable.

It sounds like you've done some thoughtful reflection on the nature of different online communities and the impact they can have on individuals. Your observations highlight a significant aspect of internet culture - how different platforms can foster vastly different types of interactions and atmospheres.

Your concern about websites like 4chan is understandable. Platforms known for their lack of moderation and the prevalence of toxic behavior can indeed be distressing. The use of harmful language, exposure to disturbing content like gore or extreme political views, and the potential for illegal activities are serious issues. It's important to be aware of how these environments can affect mental health and well-being.

On the other hand, your observations about SaSu (assuming it's a hypothetical or anonymized platform for this discussion) suggest a more supportive community, despite its own controversies. The reaction of the community to a member feeling unwelcome, with over 44 people offering welcoming responses, is a heartening example of positivity and support that can exist online.

Your personal experiences, especially relating to the desire to punish oneself, add a deeper layer of understanding to why certain online spaces might feel more welcoming or safe than others. The need for acceptance and support is fundamental, especially for those who have experienced trauma or abuse.

It's crucial to remember that every online community has its own culture and norms, which can significantly impact how individuals interact and feel within that space. Choosing environments that align with one's values and offer a sense of safety and support is important for mental and emotional well-being.

 

[noname223]

It sounds like you've done some thoughtful reflection on the nature of different online communities and the impact they can have on individuals. Your observations highlight a significant aspect of internet culture - how different platforms can foster vastly different types of interactions and atmospheres.

Your concern about websites like 4chan is understandable. Platforms known for their lack of moderation and the prevalence of toxic behavior can indeed be distressing. The use of harmful language, exposure to disturbing content like gore or extreme political views, and the potential for illegal activities are serious issues. It's important to be aware of how these environments can affect mental health and well-being.

On the other hand, your observations about SaSu (assuming it's a hypothetical or anonymized platform for this discussion) suggest a more supportive community, despite its own controversies. The reaction of the community to a member feeling unwelcome, with over 44 people offering welcoming responses, is a heartening example of positivity and support that can exist online.

Your personal experiences, especially relating to the desire to punish oneself, add a deeper layer of understanding to why certain online spaces might feel more welcoming or safe than others. The need for acceptance and support is fundamental, especially for those who have experienced trauma or abuse.

It's crucial to remember that every online community has its own culture and norms, which can significantly impact how individuals interact and feel within that space. Choosing environments that align with one's values and offer a sense of safety and support is important for mental and emotional well-being.

Very well written response with a lot of empathy and compassion. Thank you a lot!
Sending hugs and love!

 

[NearlyIrrelevantCake]

4chan's ~vibe~ really varies depending on what boards you're on.

About a decade ago, I was a namefag on /cm/ and /y/ and posted a lot of content to those boards. I sometimes ventured into /b/ for memes, but I stuck to those other two boards mainly and had a good time. /cm/ and /y/ were pretty chill back then, there was no infighting, no gore or shit like that.

 

[CPY]

I visited 4chan mostly the /int/ /g/ and the anime one a bit but never actually made a post...it might be me but I find it very convoluted and hard to surf without specific add-ons.It doesn't help that I use a smartphone most of the time


Also there's a kind of elitist way of thinking that I dislike and everyone tends to go against one another, newcomers and generally just spewing slurs at each other..I found this detrimental to my mental health.
And you don't even know who is replying to you.You can't even create a personality for yourself you're just bound to be anon forever

I prefer a space with people who actually help one another whilst sharing a common idea


However,It is sometimes useful to find info you won't find easily elsewhere

 

[LonelyStarrySky]

I myself have never been a frequent user of 4chan but have visited it a few times in the past simply out of curiosity. I have seen a lot of talk about its culture outside of the website itself, and I can't say that I personally like the website or most of the content posted there. But I also find most outsiders researching the website and posting their content online( in form of YouTube video essays, news articles) often end up with quite a biased view and push a certain narrative that pleases them and misinforms their audience. The mainstream media always pushes 4chan as some kind of "evil hackers website" while in reality its content is pretty wide in nature having more than just one board that has its own set of rules. It is true that 4chan community has enganged in dangerous and illegal activities in the past, but it is not the majority of what they do engange in there, nor am I condonding those dangerous actions that some members have done that seriosly harmed the victims involved. I simply want to shed light on the complex reality of a living subcultre.

4chan Originally began as an anime dedicated forum following their Japanese counterpart 2chan(nii-chan known in japanese). A famous internet forum in Japan that has since been shut down. 4chan has an interesting history since its conception in early 00's. Notably its where the modern day memes originate from(e.g. Rick Roll), however it has fallen into some reactionary/extremist waters in the 2010s which made it less appealing to most internet users such as myself because such content became heavily prevalent on there and I do not support the hatefull views some members have posted. I also noticed that a lot of popular internet personalities have supposedly been regularly visiting 4chan(at least the ones I follow(Wendigoon), but I wouldn't be surprised if more lurk on there). For me the most interesting aspect of 4chan is its paranormal board since most of the creepypastas that I see elsewhere online originate from there(most notably the backrooms). The website has certainly had a lot of impact on the wider internet culture and who knows how many famous personalities use this website in their free time.

I personally chose SaSu over 4chan any time, as it is simply more welcoming for me(because it is a community dedicated towards supporting one another and everyone here struggles in one way or another, and this is of great importance to me and is ultimately a deciding factor in why I want to be a part of this community), and means a lot more to me than the arguably toxic culture on 4chan. As much as the reality is filled with gray areas I believe that the website doesn't have much appeal to me due to its negative reputation and being attractive to creeps. I have known some irl people who used 4chan themselves as well.

But I am still an open minded individual who doesn't believe you should condenm a place with varied culture just because it gets one sided media press. SaSu is a sad example of such prejudice that exists, people are more than ready to rage against what they don't understand. And trusting wikipedia isn't worth it either because it has been subject to biased reporting especially when it is concerned with internet websites/culture and other contemporary topics as they heavily rely on sources such as news media(BBC, NYT etc) which is heavily biased in promoting their own narratives/agendas aka known as yellow journalism.

 

[leloyon]

I've used 4chan and various altchans for about six years now. I would say altchans are slower, but their communities are preferable. Uboachan, Lainchan, Tohno-chan, Heyuri etc.

 

[Tokugawa_Yoshinobu]

I have only ever lurked on 4Chan before and never was a member or anything. I was mostly just looking for porn and fetish content I'm into. The site in general doesn't interest me a lot but it's true that the language of the site is crass and potentially offensive. The forum did some illegal things in the past and is not really moderated at all. That's my biggest problem with that site.

 

[TheShadowKing]

Bro objectively 4chan and it's alt communities are the worst community's I don't use them at all anymore but when I did I saw the most traumatizing shit on them from gore, weird ass porn, to EVEN cheese pizza that's just the shit I can think of off the stop of my head of course there's other weird miscellaneous shit but we're just a group of suicidal people we don't compare to them at all lol

 

[BruhXDDDDD]

Mostly pretty good outside of /b/ and /pol/. The former turned into a den of people posting pictures of relatives and AI generated child porn. The latter is already infamous. The rest is mostly fun and irreverent.

 

[curiousfawn]

i dont think 4chan is an "evil le hacker cp" empire i think it just depends on the boards u use tbh i use /po/ (papercraft n origami) n /ck/ (cooking) alot n ppl are mostly normal there

 

[Dysgenic Pup]

I occasionally go on /pol/ to see some of the ridiculous posts there and do a little bit of trolling. I'm used to that sort of edgy humor, so I don't think much of it anymore, but yeah, that place is a cesspit.