4chan Community using Bing tech for hate.

4chan Community using Bing tech for hate.

4chan Community using Bing tech for hate: Members of the far-right online community 4chan have utilized Bing’s AI image generator to produce a multitude of images endorsing Nazi symbolism and “propaganda.” These images appear to be intentionally crafted to provoke strong reactions and fuel controversy regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict, despite assurances from the involved companies that they were taking steps to tackle this problem.

Microsoft, the owner of Bing, explicitly states that it forbids the presence of any content that is harmful. Similarly, OpenAI, the creator of the technology behind Bing’s picture generator, strictly prohibits the inclusion of any content that is offensive, harassing, or violent. Media Matters discovered numerous instances where users shared a hyperlink to Bing’s picture generator, resulting in more than 100,000 cumulative responses. A significant portion of these responses featured an apparent artificial intelligence-generated image.

Microsoft released DALL-E 3, an AI-powered text-to-image generator, to all Bing users for free on October 3. It was initially made accessible to a limited number of users roughly a week prior. As of October 5, reports claimed that the program was already being utilized as a component of a concerted campaign on 4chan to inundate the internet with racist photos.

A Microsoft representative stated that the business is now examining these claims and would respond accordingly, in line with their content policy that forbids the development of harmful content.

OpenAI also said that they value safety and have implemented measures to restrict the outputs generated by DALL-E.

OpenAI has a policy that forbids the use of its products for creating anything that is offensive, harassing, or violent. This policy is in addition to Bing’s content restrictions. In November, Microsoft also declared a collaboration with Tech Against Terrorism to counteract the dissemination of violent extremist information generated by artificial intelligence on digital platforms,

Since the launch of Bing’s AI tool, a considerable number of posts endorsing it have surfaced on 4chan’s far-right message board, commonly referred to as “/pol/”. Frequently referred to as the “Memetic Warfare General,” these posts encourage other users to generate “propaganda” and highlight the widespread adoption of DALL-E 3 by most individuals.

These posts frequently contain a hyperlink to Bing’s picture generator, accompanied by a cautionary message to other users to exercise caution, as specific keywords may result in being timed out, Additionally, there are instructions to save the images that are appealing, modify them to improve their quality, and share them at a later time, even outside the realm of 4chan.

4chan is definitely a site that has been both celebrated and condemned in equal measure and has gained a reputation for its content that is, at times, visceral, raw, unfiltered, and with more than a little dose of controversy. But what has made it a cultural phenomenon? 

From Intriguing Images to Instant Impact

Christopher Poole, more known online as moot, founded the anonymous image board 4chan in October 2003 while a teenager using translated source code from 2chan and aimed to combine the anime culture of 2chan with the online community of Something Awful, a website hosting a variety of comedy content and was another early influencer of internet culture. 

4chan started out as an imageboard, a type of internet forum where users could post and discuss images and texts anonymously. Inspired by 2chan and its parent textboard 2channel, 4chan quickly gained attention for a number of vital reasons, including its anonymity and minimalistic design.

Simple was incredibly effective back in 2003, and as was typical of the internet at the time. The early years of 4chan were characterized by a focus on manga and anime content, but it soon developed into a number of different approaches so it could cater to the diversifying audience of the internet.

2003 was the year when the internet exploded into something that wasn’t just on the fringes of society anymore, due to file sharing and other nefarious online activities. 4chan was right there from the very start, nurturing and growing users as the internet expanded in topic and density. Over time, the site’s user base grew, and 4chan soon became known for being the quirky older brother of the internet. 

Combining irreverent humor and a distinct lack of moderation with its content, it became the place for fringe users of the internet to hang out and find things that spoke to them that they couldn’t find amongst their suburban bubbles. Covering subjects as diverse as business and finance, technology, and artwork, all the way through to politically incorrect posts, Pokemon, virtual YouTubers, and cosplay, 4chan has grown to offer something for everyone. Each board has its own set of rules and culture, which is often defined by its regular users.

A Board for the Bored

4chan is a place where anyone can create a thread, and others can respond anonymously, echoing Christopher Poole’s sentiments that there is value in internet anonymity, which he spoke of in a TED talk. 

4chan’s threads are organized in chronological order, with older ones getting pushed off the board as new ones are created, highlighting the temporary nature of each thread. It was arguably one of the first that spearheaded a quicker approach to consuming content. It’s something we all take for granted now, but way before MySpace took off or we accessed the internet through smartphones idly scrolling, 4chan was born in a time and place where people needed to access the internet through a computer. 

It soon cultivated a dedicated following, and the threads contributed to the overall fast-paced and chaotic, almost Monty Python-esque approach to proceedings. 

Its users, often referred to as “anons,” form a tight-knit community online that transcends borders. Many online platforms have registered accounts and display names, but 4chan goes the other way, and users can post without revealing their identities. Anonymity is one of the defining characteristics of 4chan and is something that has certainly come with its fair share of support and detraction. In a world where free speech is something that comes with a level of constriction, having anons come from diverse backgrounds with varying interests contributes to the uniqueness and, ultimately, chaotic online community. 

Although 4chan has contributed to people’s ability to voice themselves freely, there is a lack of accountability, which has contributed to its notoriety and intrigue. One notable example was when moot himself was voted the most influential person of 2008, beating Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and even Vladimir Putin. However, it was discovered that the users of the /b/ board had manipulated the results in favor of moot.

A Critical Role in the Development of Internet Popular Culture

Memes are taken for granted in the modern landscape, but where do these things start out? Tracing the origins of memes can take you back to the ludicrous, like “Dancing Bush,” a meme where former president George W. Bush shook his moneymaker, but it was 4chan that played a key role in shaping internet culture by popularizing memes. 

Boards like “/b/” became notorious for their randomness, and meme culture inevitably found fertile ground here. Many of the internet’s well-known memes, such as “Rickrolling,” which famously involved an unexpected appearance for the music video for the 1987 song “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley, started out on 4chan. 4chan didn’t just become a place for people to start sharing strange things, but it became a major melting pot that was critical to developing the internet subculture.

The influence of 4chan spans way beyond the internet. While there is no denying that 4chan has brought attention to issues like online privacy, internet censorship, and freedom of speech, 4chan has long been considered a progenitor for those who believe in the power of online activism. 4chan played a key role in shaping political movements such as the alt-right movement that gained prominence during the 2016 US presidential election. For better or worse, the platform became a breeding ground for far-right ideologies and has demonstrated how online communities can impact the political landscape. 

Additionally, its influence found its way into other social media websites, forums, and platforms. 4chan became a testing ground for emerging trends, whether it’s a viral challenge, catchphrase, or image format. 4chan became a place that set the wheels in motion. Its influence on the landscape has been complex, yet profound, and 4chan is a digital enigma that continues to evolve.

The Start of Internet Fandom

4chan has been a transformative force in how fandoms develop. As the internet was a slew of forums and discussion boards in the early 21st century, platforms like 4chan helped bring internet fandom to the masses. 

One notable example is the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fandom. The adult fandom dedicated to this children’s animated TV series started on the Comics and Cartoons (“/co/”) board. The posters on the board were hoping for a critical lashing of the show. In fact, something different happened; the tides turned, and the thread received genuine interest and curiosity from other users, helping turn the show into a cultural phenomenon. 

As the discussion spread to communities outside 4chan, this resulted in the show reaching a wider audience. It’s something we take for granted now, especially through platforms like TikTok spearheading numerous movements, but we can trace so much of the tropes of the internet that we’re all so familiar with now back to those simple internet forums, including 4chan. 

4chan’s Relevance in the Modern World

If there is one thing that needs discussing, it is how 4chan has a unique place in the internet’s rich history. While platforms like Instagram and Facebook dominate the social media landscape and have done so for a long time, 4chan acts as the quiet observer. 

This is arguably why it’s a big draw, although not to the same numbers as the larger platforms as it caters to the niche approaches to the world. It has occupied a unique place in the internet’s tapestry because it continues to be a hub for subcultures, unique content, and anonymity. 

Since its inception, 4chan has made several changes to adapt to the modern internet landscape, including new boards, moderation policies, and new features such as hover previews, keyboard shortcuts, and in-line quoting. While these changes are a response to an evolving online world, it remains a place for anonymity. 

The Future of 4chan

4chan is now in its third decade. Since moot stepped down as the head administrator of 4chan in early 2015, handing the reins to Japanese internet entrepreneur Hiroyuki Nishimura (founder of 4chan’s inspiration 2channel), Poole moved on to more lucrative positions, including being a product manager for Google Maps. 

As 4chan is entering a world where AI-generated content reigns supreme and anonymity is scarce, its future may remain uncertain. For many people, 4chan is a place to express some freedom. While the global rules are strict and activities highly moderated, it still stands as something that harks back to the simple days of the internet; a time when all you could do was post silly images and not worry about anything else. For this reason alone, 4chan continues to have a unique place in the rich mosaic of the internet. 

A unique and complex online platform that has a rich history, houses diverse communities, and is, fundamentally, a place for creative expression and controversy in equal measure, it has attracted a passionate user base that continues to shape internet culture. The landscape continues to evolve; will 4chan make the changes? Only time will tell.