I’m often hearing that 4chan is “unmoderated” or has “the bare minimum of moderation”, which just doesn’t line up with reality. Many boards have strict and specific rules about what content is allowed, what is banned, and how said content should be presented. Just listing some rules off the top of my head: you must have a minimum number of pictures to start a thread of /s/. Normal hentai porn goes into /h/, weird fetish stuff goes into /d/. No western art allowed on either. Content that breaks the rules gets removed within hours, sometimes minutes.
If you see something that you find disagreeable on a 4chan board, it’s likely there because it’s allowed to be there. They aren’t struggling with moderation. The fact that it’s still online in the clearnet after so much media attention proves that they have enough jannies to take care of the illegal stuff at least.
superkret@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
If the entire internet was as unmoderated as 4chan, it would be a lot less extreme than 4chan is.
But since there are only very few places like that, all the weirdos and nazis congregate there, cause that’s where they don’t get banned for using the n-word.
kernelle@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I don’t really think so, every online fora I’ve been a part of starts unmoderated, and it works, for years sometimes. But every single time without fail when a platform reaches a critical mass, moderation becomes necessary.
I think putting a digital mask on shows the true nature of people, and moderation is the only way of keeping conversion civil on the internet.
sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
Maybe, if you’re determined to preserve a certain culture on a specific site. But as long as movement between sites is pretty easy (was quite common in the days of forums), then the community could self-regulate reasonably well. Either the weirdos would leave, or the constructive members of the community would leave and the site would get shut down. Either way, the problem solves itself without moderation becoming necessary.
IMO, the only reason we “need” moderation is because we’ve decided that the site itself needs to be preserved. That’s the mindset that needs to change. Sites should come and go and take the trash out with it.
benni@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Well, yeah. Storing your potatoes in the dark is also not “necessary” if you’re willing to just throw them away when they sprout. But wanting to preserve things we like is a given to most people.