moot steps down as 4chan administrator

**Scotia** · 01-22-2015

bruh what

https://gigaom.com/2015/01/21/4chan-...collective-id/

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In 2003, the consumer internet was still relatively new, and there were still pockets of the web that were largely undiscovered — like 4chan, an online message board that Christopher “Moot” Poole first set up in his parents’ New York apartment at the age of 15 as a way for fans of Japanese animation to share images. The site soon became a massive, sprawling experiment in group psychology and the benefits and drawbacks of anonymity, like the internet’s collective id.

Now Poole has announced that he is stepping back from his involvement with his problematic creation, saying he came to the conclusion that “as 4chan’s sole administrator, decision maker, and keeper of most of its institutional knowledge, I’ve come to represent an uncomfortably large single point of failure” for the still rapidly-growing site.

Henceforth, Poole says, the community — which his parents didn’t even know he was operating from their apartment until a Wall Street Journal story first revealed his secret identity in 2008 — will be run by a group of supporters and volunteers who have been helping Poole over the past few years, and the site has enough funding to be self-sustaining.

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moot also wrote a personal note saying goodbye to 4chan:

"I founded 4chan eleven and a half years ago at the age of 15, and after more than a decade of service, I've decided it's time for me to move on.

4chan has faced numerous challenges over the years, including how to continuously satisfy a community of millions, and ensure the site has the human, technical, and financial resources to continue operating. But the biggest hurdle it's had to overcome is myself. As 4chan's sole administrator, decision maker, and keeper of most of its institutional knowledge, I've come to represent an uncomfortably large single point of failure.

I've spent the past two years working behind the scenes to address these challenges, and to provide 4chan with the foundation it needs to survive me by bolstering its finances, strengthening its infrastructure, and expanding and empowering its team of volunteers. And for the most part, I've succeeded. The site isn't in danger of going under financially any time soon, and it's as fast and stable as ever thanks to continued development and recent server upgrades. Team 4chan is also at its largest, and while I've still been calling the shots, I've delegated many of my responsibilities to a handful of trusted volunteers, most of whom have served the site for years.

That foundation will now be put to the ultimate test, as today I'm retiring as 4chan's administrator. From a user's perspective, nothing should change. A few senior volunteers—including 4chan's lead developer, managing moderator, and server administrator—have stepped up to ensure a smooth transition over the coming weeks.

I'll need time away to decompress and reflect, but I look forward to one day returning to 4chan as its Admin Emeritus or just another Anonymous, and also writing more about my experience running 4chan on my personal blog. The journey has been marked by highs and lows, surprises and disappointments, but ultimately immense satisfaction. I'm humbled to have had the privilege of both founding and presiding over what is easily one of the greatest communities to ever grace the Web. It was truly an honor to serve as 4chan's founding administrator, and I look forward to seeing what the next decade holds for the site.

On to the next chapter,

–moot"

:V

RIPPEPERINOS MOOT, YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE IN MY HEART

#scotiaisthenewdix