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Alt-right message board 8chan was served a search warrant
It begins. internet hives of scum and villainy served with warrant. [dailydot.com]
A search warrant has been issued to 8chan [dailydot.com], an alt-right online message board. The warrant is in connection to the Poway synagogue shooting in California.
And what do we learn from this?
Court documents, that went unsealed on June 13, reveal that on April 29, a search warrant was issued to 8chan for the IP and metadata information on Earnest’s posts from the day of the shooting.
The warrant also calls for the information of other 8chan users who commented on Earnest’s posts. The users who replied to the thread that Earnest posted could be “potential witnesses, co-conspirators and/or individuals who are inspired” by his posts about the shooting, according to the warrant.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent who submitted the warrant also wrote that Earnest himself was “inspired and/or educated” by other individuals posting on the forum.
Interesting.
The manifesto is replete with memes and inside jokes that cater to the dark humor present on the board.
It distracts people who are not in the know of jargon from 8chan into believing that views being espoused in the writing, while hateful, are just inconsequential ramblings. It’s one prolonged “shitpost,” an absurdist piece of writing seemingly meant to not be taken seriously and derail a conversation.
8chan currently only has one rule when posting: “Do not post, request, or link to any content that is illegal in the United States of America and do not create boards with the sole purpose of posting or spreading such content.” Any form of moderation is near nonexistent.
Shitposting just got real!
Now, as the search warrant issued to 8chan moves forward, it seems even more precedent is being set on regulating the internet’s problem child. With liability for being a co-conspirator on the table for anyone who participates in threads outlining manifestos or detailing plans for possible terrorist attacks, it is clear that the “shitpost” nature of 8chan has to be taken more seriously, as the consequences it leads to are wholly real.
Gab users, take note.
