It’s likely that there will never be a site like 4chan again. But everything now—from X and YouTube to global politics—seems to carry its toxic legacy.
Archived version: https://archive.is/20250422233152/https://www.wired.com/story/4chan-is-dead-its-toxic-legacy-is-everywhere/
Maybe dumb question, but I didn’t follow this too closely: Why don’t they just update their software and install a backup?
A typical 4chan user is very concerned about privacy, because it’s a place they do stuff they wouldn’t do elsewhere.
Once a trust is broken, it is very hard to regain. Technically, nothing stops it from appearing again. But will the userbase follow?
Nah, they’ve blocked Tor since many years. That’s not the issue here.