View source for 2channel

{{Short description|Anonymous Japanese textboard}}
{{About|the Japanese textboard|the Russian imageboard|Dvach|the imageboard known as 2chan|Futaba Channel|other uses|2chan (disambiguation)}}
{{good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox website
| name = 2channel
| logo = Topimage (2ch).png
| logo_caption = Logo in 2012, featuring a [[spittoon]] surrounded by popular [[memes]] from the site
| url = {{URL|2ch.net}} (historically)
| commercial = Yes
| native_name = {{Native name|JA|2ちゃんねる}}
| type = [[Textboard]]
| registration = 
| language = Japanese <!-- https://web.archive.org/web/20131122000129/https://menu.2ch.net/bbstable.html has no "大使館" (Embassy) boards -->
| owner = Disputed
| author = [[Hiroyuki Nishimura]]
| users = 10 million monthly (2010)<ref name="Matsutani-2010" />
| launch_date = {{start date and age|df=yes|p=yes|1999|05|30}}<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2007" />
| revenue = 
| current_status = Disputed (since {{start date and age|df=yes|2014|02|19}})
}}
{{Infobox website
| name = 2ch.sc<br />2ちゃんねる{{efn|name=2chscNameNote}}
| logo = 2ch.sc logo.png
| logo_size = 77px <!-- very tall logo -->
| language = Japanese
| commercial = Yes
| owner = Hiroyuki Nishimura
| founded = {{start date and age|df=yes|2014|04|01}}
| parent = Packet Monster Inc.<ref name="Nishimura" />
| url = {{URL|2ch.sc}}
| current_status = Active
}}
{{Infobox website
| name              = 5channel<br />5ちゃんねる
| logo              = 5ch logo.png
| logo_size         = 200px <!-- very wide logo -->
| language          = Japanese, with a small minority of boards in English<ref name="5channel">{{Cite web |title=5ちゃんねる掲示板リスト |trans-title=5channel board list |url=https://menu.5ch.net/bbstable.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004134623/http://menu.5ch.net/bbstable.html |archive-date=2017-10-04 |access-date=2020-05-22 |website=5channel |language=ja |quote=【大使館 (Embassy)】Anime & Manga / Books / Comics & Cartoons / Computers / [...]}}</ref>
| founded           = {{start date and age|2017|10|01|df=yes}}
| owner             = [[Jim Watkins (businessman)|Jim Watkins]]
| commercial        = Yes
| parent            = Loki Technology Inc. via Race Queen Inc.
| url               = {{URL|5ch.net}}
| current_status    = Active
}}

{{Nihongo|'''2channel'''|2ちゃんねる|ni channeru|lead=yes}}, also known as '''2ch''',<ref name="Kaigo-2007" /> '''Channel 2''',<ref name="Onishi-2004">{{Cite news |last=Ōnishi |first=Norimitsu |date=2004-05-09 |title=Japanese Find a Forum to Vent Most-Secret Feelings |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/09/world/japanese-find-a-forum-to-vent-most-secret-feelings.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/09/world/japanese-find-a-forum-to-vent-most-secret-feelings.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-06-04 |work=The New York Times}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="Furukawa-2003">{{Cite web |last=Furukawa |first=Hideki |date=2003-08-22 |title=Q&A With the Founder of Channel 2 |url=http://www.ojr.org/japan/internet/1061505583.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031222144247/http://www.ojr.org/japan/internet/1061505583.php |archive-date=2003-12-22 |access-date=2020-05-24 |website=Japan Media Review |publisher=USC Annenberg}}</ref> and sometimes retrospectively as '''2ch.net''',<ref name="Tokyo District Court)">{{Cite court|litigants=In re: Race Queen Inc.|court=Tokyo District Court|pinpoint=平成29年(ワ)第3428号|url=https://www.courts.go.jp/app/files/hanrei_jp/327/089327_hanrei.pdf|quote=被告は，平成16年から平成29年9月30日まで，継続して本件電子掲示板を管理・運営し [From 2004 to at least September 30, 2017, the defendants operated the textboard.]}}</ref> was an anonymous Japanese [[textboard]]{{efn|name=KeijibanNote|2channel, and other sites like it, are called {{Nihongo3||掲示板|keijiban}} in Japanese. This word literally translates to "[[Bulletin board system|bulletin board]]", but in English, that word only refers to older text-based systems, not web bulletin boards like 2channel. Therefore, the correct translation is "[[textboard]]" in English.}} founded in 1999 by [[Hiroyuki Nishimura]]. Described in 2007 as "Japan's most popular online community",<ref name="Sakamoto-2011">{{Cite journal |last=Sakamoto |first=Rumi |date=2011-03-07 |title='Koreans, Go Home!' Internet Nationalism in Contemporary Japan as a Digitally Mediated Subculture |url=http://www.japanfocus.org/-Rumi-SAKAMOTO/3497 |journal=The Asia-Pacific Journal |volume=9 |issue=10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110311012143/http://japanfocus.org/-Rumi-SAKAMOTO/3497 |archive-date=2011-03-11 |access-date=2020-05-22}}</ref> the site had a level of influence comparable to that of traditional mass media such as television, radio, and magazines.<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2007">{{Cite news |last=Katayama |first=Lisa |date=2007-04-19 |title=2-Channel Gives Japan's Famously Quiet People a Mighty Voice |url=http://archive.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2007/04/2channel |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150921143305/http://archive.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2007/04/2channel |archive-date=2015-09-21 |access-date=2020-05-21 |work=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]}}</ref> At the time, the site drew an annual revenue of around {{Currency|100 million|JPY|passthrough=yes}} (about US$1 million),<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2008">{{Cite news |last=Katayama |first=Lisa |date=2008-05-19 |title=Meet Hiroyuki Nishimura, the Bad Boy of the Japanese Internet |url=https://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/16-06/mf_hiroyuki?currentPage=2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527190538/http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/16-06/mf_hiroyuki?currentPage=2 |archive-date=2008-05-27 <!--DASHBot--> |access-date=2020-05-22 |publisher=Wired}}</ref><ref name="Shibui-2008">{{Cite web |last=Shibui |first=Tetsuya |date=2008-08-26 |title=2channel founder says don't blame him for criminals' posts |url=https://japantoday.com/category/features/kuchikomi/2channel-founder-says-dont-blame-him-for-criminals-posts |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://japantoday.com/category/features/kuchikomi/2channel-founder-says-dont-blame-him-for-criminals-posts |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-20 |website=[[Shūkan Gendai]] |language=en |via=[[Japan Today]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and was the largest of its kind in the world, with around ten million visitors<ref name="Sakamoto-2011" /> and 2.5&nbsp;million posts made per day.<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2007" />

The site was [[Dedicated hosting service|hosted]] and had its [[domain registration]] provided by [[Jim Watkins (businessman)|Jim Watkins]], based in [[San Francisco]], California.<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2008" /><ref name="Matsutani-2010" /><ref name="McLaughlin-2019">{{Cite news |last=McLaughlin |first=Timothy |date=2019-08-06 |title=The Weird, Dark History of 8chan |url=https://www.wired.com/story/the-weird-dark-history-8chan/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.wired.com/story/the-weird-dark-history-8chan/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-21 |work=Wired |issn=1059-1028}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 2009, ownership of the site was transferred to [[Singapore]]-based Packet Monster Inc., under which Nishimura remained in control.<ref name="Adelstein-2015" /><ref name="Martin-2009">{{Cite news |last=Martin |first=Alex |date=2009-01-24 |title=2channel founder ponders next step after forum's sale |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2009/01/24/news/2channel-founder-ponders-next-step-after-forums-sale/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016110933/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2009/01/24/news/2channel-founder-ponders-next-step-after-forums-sale/#.Ul5z-i7LeZQ |archive-date=2013-10-16 |access-date=2020-10-21 |work=The Japan Times |quote=Speculation abounds, however, that the move may be a legal trick to deflect further lawsuits filed against Nishimura for the site's frequently libelous content.}}</ref> In February 2014, Watkins seized the 2ch.net domain, taking full control over the website and assuming the role of site administrator.<ref name="McLaughlin-2019" /><ref name="Akimoto-2014" /> This has resulted in two textboards claiming to be the legitimate 2channel:<ref name="Akimoto-2014" /> '''2ch.sc''',{{efn|name=2chscNameNote|2ch.sc calls itself 2ちゃんねる, just as the former 2ch.net did. When it is necessary to differentiate 2ch.net from 2ch.sc in Japanese, the form 2ちゃんねる (2ch.sc) is often used.{{#tag:ref||name=Monolith}}}} owned by Nishimura through Packet Monster Inc.,<ref name="Nishimura">{{Cite web |last=Nishimura |first=Hiroyuki |title=2ちゃんねるガイド：基本 |trans-title=2channel FAQ |url=http://info.2ch.sc/guide/faq.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/http://info.2ch.sc/guide/faq.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-18 |website=2ch.sc |quote=2ch.sc is managed and operated by PACKET MONSTER INC. and more.}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and {{Nihongo|'''5channel'''|5ちゃんねる|go channeru|domain '''5ch.net'''}}, established in 2017 by redirect from the original domain and owned by Watkins through Philippines-based Loki Technology Inc.

2channel and its successors are more controversial than other social media in Japan;<ref name="Kaigo-2007" /> they are extremely popular among [[Far-right politics#Japan|Japan's extreme right-wing]], known as the ''[[netto-uyoku]]'', who post [[Ethnic issues in Japan|xenophobic]] comments, often [[Anti-Korean sentiment in Japan|targeting Korean]] and [[Anti-Chinese sentiment in Japan|Chinese people]].<ref name="Sakamoto-2011" /><ref name="Onishi-2004" /> [[Defamation]] is of particular concern; by August 2008, Nishimura had received more than one hundred lawsuits for defamatory comments left on the website.<ref name="Shibui-2008" /> Announcements of crimes also have drawn scrutiny of 2channel and its successors.<ref name="Adelstein-2015" /><ref name="The Canadian Press-2008" /><ref name="Zaikei Shimbun-2019" /><ref name="Kobe Shimbun-2019" /> In 2012, 2channel was accused by the [[Tokyo Metropolitan Police]] of allowing its platform to be used by [[amphetamine]] dealers,<ref name="The Japan Times-2012" /> although no charges were filed.<ref name="Adelstein-2015" />

In September 2007, 2channel claimed over 2.4&nbsp;million posts per day.<ref name="suzume graph-2007">{{Cite web |date=2007-10-19 |title=suzume graph |url=http://pv.40.kg/suzume/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071019001429/http://pv.40.kg/suzume/ |archive-date=19 October 2007 |access-date=2020-07-17}}</ref>{{efn|name=FiguresNote|These statistics are self-reported.}} As of July 2020, 5channel claimed 1,031 boards receiving around 2.7&nbsp;million posts per day on weekends,<ref name="SPARROW-5ch">{{Cite web |title=SPARROW5ch |url=https://stat.5ch.net/SPARROW/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://stat.5ch.net/SPARROW/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=25 October 2019 |website=5ch Officially Reported Statistics}}{{cbignore}}</ref> with no growth since March 2016.<ref name="5ch-stats">{{Cite web |title=SPARROW5ch |url=http://stat.5ch.net/SPARROW/20160313/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/http://stat.5ch.net/SPARROW/20160313/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=17 July 2020 |website=5ch Officially Reported Statistics}}{{cbignore}}</ref>{{efn|name=FiguresNote}} Meanwhile, 2ch.sc claimed 826 boards receiving around 5,700 posts daily.<ref name="2chsc-stats">{{Cite web |title=投稿数統計＠2ch掲示板 |url=https://sweet.2ch.sc/posts.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://sweet.2ch.sc/posts.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-16 |website=2ch.sc Officially Reported Statistics}}{{cbignore}}</ref>{{efn|name=FiguresNote}}

==History==
{{Multiple image
| align             = left
| total_width       = 375
| direction         = horizontal
| image1            = Ayashii World style BBS.svg
| image2            = Textboard.png
| caption1          = Ayashii World was laid out something like a non-threaded [[e-mail client]] without subjects. All messages were sorted chronologically, and to see the post being replied to, a link must be followed.<ref name="Tanahashi-2007" />
| caption2          = Meanwhile, Amezou and 2channel were laid out in the more familiar textboard format, where threads are ordered by their last post unless the user specifically chooses not to make their post bump the thread.<ref name="Tanahashi-2007" />
}}

=== Predecessors ===
[[Textboard]]s like 2channel were rooted in two earlier technologies: [[Modem|dial-in]] [[Bulletin board system|bulletin boards]], known in Japan as {{Nihongo|grass roots bulletin boards|草の根BBS}},<ref name="Kaigo-2007" /> and [[Usenet]].<ref name="Stryker-2011">{{Cite book |last=Stryker |first=Cole |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y3QjCQAAQBAJ |title=Epic Win for Anonymous: How 4chan's Army Conquered the Web |date=2011 |publisher=The Overlook Press |isbn=9781590207383 |location=New York |pages=133–134 |quote=2channel was based on a previous text board called Ayashii World, the first big anonymous text board in Japan... Ayashii World, like many anonymous chan boards, experienced so much downtime that its owner began to receive death threats, prompting him to shut down the board in 1998.}}</ref> 2channel has two predecessors: Ayashii World created in 1996 by Shiba Masayuki,<ref name="Stryker-2011" /> and {{Nihongo|Amezou|あめぞう}},<ref name="Tanahashi-2007" /> created in 1997. Ayashii World was the first large anonymous web bulletin board in Japan, while Amezou originated the more familiar "textboard" concept wherein threads are displayed chronologically, with new comments bumping old threads to the top, rather than in a branching tree.<ref name="Stryker-2011" /><ref name="Tanahashi-2007">{{Cite journal |last=Tanahashi |first=Gō |date=2007-12-01 |title=イマジナリー・コミュニケーションI ~顧客間インタラクションと2 ちゃんねる~ |trans-title=Imaginary Communication I ~Customer interaction and 2channel~ |url=https://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/120005827908 |journal=Nara Sangyo University Journal of Industrial Economics |language=ja |publisher=[[Nara Sangyo University]] |volume=22 |issue=3 |pages=141–160 |oclc=1059584274 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/120005827908 |archive-date=2021-10-27 |via=CiNii}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Ayashii World closed in 1998, leading most of its former users to go to Amezou;<ref name="Stryker-2011" /> Nishimura advertised 2channel in a post on Amezou in May 1999, calling it "Amezou's second channel".<ref name="Tanahashi-2007" /> From June, Amezou became increasingly unable to handle the load on its servers,<ref name="Tanahashi-2007" /><ref name="Barubora-2005" />{{Rp|260}} until its host shut it down after threats against Amezou's anonymous owner which contained his [[Doxing|dox]] were posted on it.<ref name="Stryker-2011" /><ref name="Barubora-2005" />{{Rp|260}}

=== Early history ===
[[File:Hiroyuki Nishimura's speech in Sapporo 20050831.jpg|thumb|right|[[Hiroyuki Nishimura]] founded 2channel in 1999 while a student in Arkansas.]]

2channel was founded on 30 May 1999 in a college apartment in [[Conway, Arkansas]] on the campus of [[University of Central Arkansas]]<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2007" /> by [[Hiroyuki Nishimura]].<ref name="Matsutani-2010">{{Cite news |last=Matsutani |first=Minoru |date=2010-04-06 |title=2channel's success rests on anonymity |url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100406i1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100409055032/http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100406i1.html |archive-date=2010-04-09 |access-date=2020-05-23 |work=The Japan Times}}</ref> Success came quickly; many of Amezou's users began using it as soon as it opened.<ref name="Kaigo-2007" /> When compared with other bulletin boards, 2channel's technology wasn't much different; what led to its success was instead its being an "outlet for unfettered expression";<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2008" /> by being hosted in the United States, 2channel was able to bypass more restrictive Japanese censorship rules, while still being accessible from Japan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Machkovech |first=Sam |date=2015-09-21 |title=Imageboard sites 4chan, 8chan announce new ownership arrangements |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/09/imageboard-sites-4chan-8chan-announce-new-ownership-arrangements/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/09/imageboard-sites-4chan-8chan-announce-new-ownership-arrangements/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-23 |website=[[Ars Technica]] |language=en-us}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The site also enjoyed greater immunity from legal action within Japan due to the location of its servers.<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2008" /><ref name="Chiel-2016">{{Cite web |last=Chiel |first=Ethan |date=2016-04-19 |title=Meet the man keeping 8chan, the world's most vile website, alive |url=https://splinternews.com/meet-the-man-keeping-8chan-the-worlds-most-vile-websit-1793856249 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://splinternews.com/meet-the-man-keeping-8chan-the-worlds-most-vile-websit-1793856249 |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-21 |website=[[Splinter News]] |language=en-us |quote=They figured out a loophole in Japanese censorship rules," [...] Adult material in Japan has to be censored, but...Japanese people could access content that resides outside of Japan. Bingo. The work we did in the following years was really just marketing uncensored Japanese content to users in Japan.}}{{cbignore}}</ref> By 2002, Google said that the most searched word in Japan was "2channel".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Matsumura |first=Naohiro |last2=Miura |first2=Asako |last3=Shibanai |first3=Yasufumi |last4=Ohsawa |first4=Yukio |last5=Nishida |first5=Toyoaki |date=2005-01-01 |title=The dynamism of 2channel |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225177752 |journal=AI & Society |volume=19 |pages=84–92 |doi=10.1007/s00146-004-0302-5 |s2cid=15396920 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225177752 |archive-date=2021-10-27}}{{cbignore}}</ref> By 2004, 2channel was already the largest internet forum in Japan.<ref name="Onishi-2004" />

The name "2channel" is a reference to [[Very High Frequency|VHF]] channel 2, the default setting for the [[RF modulator]]s used in earlier-generation game consoles (such as [[Nintendo]]'s [[Family Computer]]) when connecting to Japanese television sets.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Tetsuya |first=Ozaki |date=2004-11-11 |title=Interview with Nishimura Hiroyuki at Kuwasawa Design School |url=http://www.realtokyo.co.jp/english/redesign/004_1.htm |url-status=dead |journal=Redesigning Tokyo |volume=4 |issue=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312073248/http://www.realtokyo.co.jp/english/redesign/004_1.htm |archive-date=2007-03-12 |access-date=2020-07-03 |via=RealTokyo}}</ref> Where Amezou was originally meant to be "channel one", 2channel was meant to be "channel two".<ref name="Tanahashi-2007" /><ref name="Barubora-2005" />{{Rp|266}} The site's iconic jar logo is a reference to deprecatory remarks some former users of Ayashii World would make about 2channel early on in the site's history, likening it to a {{Nihongo|[[spittoon]]|痰壷}}.<ref name="Gotō-2015">{{Cite journal |last=Gotō |first=Masayuki |date=2015-06-01 |script-title=ja:「2ちゃんねる」との対話——新しい世論集団の可能性と問題点 |trans-title=Conversation with "2channel," a Huge Japanese Internet Bulletin Board Service : Possibilities and Problems of a New-type Public Opinion Group <!-- If this looks like bad English to you, it's the official English title, so should not be changed. https://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/120005838893/ --> |journal=Seijō Bungei |language=ja |publisher=[[Seijo University]] Literature Department |pages=1 |issn=0286-5718 |quote=筆者がはじめて、インターネット巨大掲示板「2ちゃんねる」に触れたのは、9・11テロがまさに進行中の時だった。［⋯］この時点で、ネット検索に出てきたのが、当時から「便所の落書き」「痰壷」などと露悪的に自称していた（それゆえに筆者は接触しないようにしていた）「2ch」の書き込みだった。 [I first touched the huge internet bulletin board "2channel" when the 9/11 terror attacks were in progress. Up to then, I had no interest in 2ch as online searches only brought up results deprecating it a "spittoon" and home of "toilet graffiti".]}}</ref><ref name="Barubora-2005">{{Cite book |last=Barubora |date=2005-05-10 |publisher=[[Shōeisha]] |isbn=978-4798106571 |pages=271 |language=ja |script-title=ja:教科書には載らないニッポンのインターネットの歴史教科書 |trans-title=The history of the Japanese internet you won't find in any textbook |quote=(260) 「内部告発」板は企業の裏事情や差別問題などを扱う板で、ここが6月19日に突如消減したのだ。[...] ただ他のスレッドでもあやうい告発が続いており、例えば暴力団の資金源に関するスレッドてでは、あめぞう氏の本名など個人情報をちらつかせ脅迫するような書きさ込みもあったりと、いつ閉鎖しても不思議ではない状態にあった。¶夏ごろ(一説には6月には既にちらほら見られたそうだ)に増殖を繰り返し、設置されたほとんどの掲示板を壊減的状態に追いやった。[...] そして管理されない姿を見かねたのか、はたまた苦情が相次いどだのか、「まいたいねっと」側がか掲示板のパーミッションを落としはじめ、10月14日にメイン板の「＠広場」が停止。[The "whistleblowing board" was suddenly shut down on June 19 [1999]. [...] In a thread on the sources of money of organized crime gangs, a threat was implied against Amezou's owner, and he was doxed. It was not strange to close it. Around summer (one source says it began in June), most of the boards were in a broken state. [...] ¶ And, either due to not being able to countenance the unmaintained state of Amezou, or because the complaints were coming one after another, the host, Maitai Net, started returning 403 errors upon visits to the bulletin board. On October 14, "@Square", the main board, stopped functioning.]}}</ref>{{Rp|271}} Nishimura took this nickname and adopted it as the site's logo by 2002.<ref name="Barubora-2005" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nishimura |first=Hiroyuki |date=2002-06-05 |title=2ちゃんねるへようこそ |trans-title=Welcome to 2channel |url=http://www.2ch.net/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020605120531/http://www.2ch.net/ |archive-date=5 June 2002 |access-date=2020-05-21 |language=ja}}</ref>

[[Jim Watkins (businessman)|Jim Watkins]], an ex-US army non-commissioned officer ([[sergeant first class]]), [[domain name registrar]], and [[dedicated hosting service]] provider, hosted 2channel since at least 2004<ref name="Tokyo District Court)" /> through various corporate identities, including Big-server.com Inc.,<ref name="ITmedia NEWS-2010">{{Cite web |date=2010-03-02 |title=2chサーバのデータセンター、「サイバーテロ」として米機関に調査依頼へ |trans-title=2ch data center requests American government investigate "cyber terrorism" against it |url=https://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1003/02/news070.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1003/02/news070.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-21 |website=ITmedia NEWS |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Pacific Internet Exchange [[Limited liability company|LLC]]<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm133624 |date=2007-04-10 |last=Watkins |first=Jim |type=[[Niconico Douga]] |language=en, ja |trans-title=2channel server update |minutes=14:13 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm133624 |archive-date=2021-10-27 |quote=''Ni'' channel will be right here and the next one over. Alright, now we have two facilities, and this is the new facility. This whole area here, about tennis court-sized, is Pacific Internet Exchange, our area. We're going to do it in sections, that's why we moved from the other side where it's all...many different companies. This is our section. |script-title=ja:2ちゃんねるのサーバ事情 前編}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and N. T. Technology Inc.<ref name="Harwell-2019">{{Cite news |last=Harwell |first=Drew |last2=McLaughlin |first2=Timothy |date=2019-09-12 |title=From helicopter repairman to leader of the Internet's 'darkest reaches': The life and times of 8chan owner Jim Watkins |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/09/12/helicopter-repairman-leader-internets-darkest-reaches-life-times-chan-owner-jim-watkins/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190913014840/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/09/12/helicopter-repairman-leader-internets-darkest-reaches-life-times-chan-owner-jim-watkins/ |archive-date=2019-09-13 |access-date=2020-05-21 |work=Washington Post |language=en}}</ref><ref name="CNET-2013" /> Before 2channel, Watkins' company primarily specialized in using servers and domains in the United States to serve [[Censorship in Japan|uncensored]] [[Pornography in Japan|pornographic]] content to users in Japan.<ref name="Chiel-2016" /><ref name="Harwell-2019" />

=== Ownership transfer and government scrutiny ===
On 2 January 2009, Nishimura claimed to have transferred ownership of 2channel to Packet Monster Inc., a company based in [[Chinatown, Singapore]], and to no longer be involved in the site's management.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tachikawa |first=Yū |date=2009-01-02 |title=2ちゃんねる、"言論の自由なき日本"を見捨てた？ |trans-title=2channel, have you abandoned Japan, "land with no freedom of speech"? |url=http://sankei.jp.msn.com/economy/it/090102/its0901021022001-n1.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090121234124/http://sankei.jp.msn.com/economy/it/090102/its0901021022001-n1.htm |archive-date=21 January 2009 |access-date=10 January 2009 |work=[[Sankei Shimbun]] |publisher=MSN |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nagai |first=Michiko |date=2009-01-02 |title=西村博之氏、2ちゃんねるを企業に譲渡 |trans-title=Hiroyuki Nishimura transfers 2channel to a company |url=https://japan.cnet.com/article/20385949/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://japan.cnet.com/article/20385949/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-20 |website=CNET Japan |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref> However, Nishimura was charged with violating Japanese narcotic control laws anyway on 20 December 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-12-27 |script-title=ja:警察庁長官:悪質管理者「検挙も」...掲示板の違法情報放置 |trans-title=Commissioner General of the National Police Agency: "Arrest" malicious administrators too... They left illegal content online. |url=http://mainichi.jp/select/news/20121227k0000e040210000c.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130101031458/http://mainichi.jp/select/news/20121227k0000e040210000c.html |archive-date=1 January 2013 |website=[[Mainichi Shimbun]] |language=ja |via=Livedoor}} [http://blog.livedoor.jp/freenews7/archives/21746147.html Alt URL]</ref>{{efn|name=DrugLawNote|1=The full name of the law, Act No. 94 of 1991, is [http://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/law/detail/?id=1209&vm=&re= An Act Concerning Special Provisions for the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act, etc. and Other Matters for the Prevention of Activities Encouraging Illicit Conducts and Other Activities Involving Controlled Substances through International Cooperation] ({{Nihongo2|国際的な協力の下に規制薬物に係る不正行為を助長する行為等の防止を図るための麻薬及び向精神薬取締法等の特例等に関する法律}}).}} As part of their case, the [[Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department]] (MPD) claimed Nishimura remained involved in 2channel's operations, alleging Packet Monster Inc. is a {{Nihongo|[[shell company]]|ペーパーカンパニー}}.<ref name="Adelstein-2015">{{Cite news |last=Adelstein |first=Jake |date=2015-09-26 |title=Will 4Chan's Shady New Owner Weaponize It? |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/26/will-the-yakuza-turn-4chan-into-a-weapon |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/26/will-the-yakuza-turn-4chan-into-a-weapon |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-20 |work=The Daily Beast |language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The main thrust of the complaint was that Nishimura allegedly did not delete posts seeking to purchase illicit [[amphetamine]] from other 2channel users online; the {{ill|Internet Hotline Center|ja|インターネット・ホットラインセンター|WD=}}, an agency of the MPD, alleged that in 2011 97% of its 5,223 deletion requests did not result in deletion.<ref name="The Japan Times-2012">{{Cite web |date=2012-12-26 |title=Prosecution of 2channel founder draws flak |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2012/12/26/national/prosecution-of-2channel-founder-draws-flak/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2012/12/26/national/prosecution-of-2channel-founder-draws-flak/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-20 |website=[[The Japan Times]] |language=en-US}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On 19 March 2013, the [[Public Prosecutors Office (Japan)|Public Prosecutors Office]] decided not to prosecute the case.<ref name="Adelstein-2015" />

In August 2013, the [[National Tax Agency|Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau]] declared in a tax audit that Nishimura had failed to declare {{Currency|100 million|JPY|passthrough=yes|linked=no}} worth of website revenue which should have been taxed between 2009 and 2012, years in which he financially benefited from Packet Monster Inc.;<ref name="Adelstein-2015" /><ref name="Ota-2013">{{Cite web |last=Ōta |first=Seiichi |date=2013-08-24 |script-title=ja:申告漏れ:2ちゃんねる元管理人が1億円 広告収入の一部、譲渡後も関与裏付け |trans-title=2channel's former administrator failed to declare 100 million yen of advertising revenue and participation in BBS even management after transfer |url=http://mainichi.jp/select/news/20130824dde041040002000c.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130918022541/http://mainichi.jp/select/news/20130824dde041040002000c.html |archive-date=2013-09-18 |website=[[Mainichi Shimbun]] |language=ja |quote=2ちゃんねるの広告収入は東京プラスなどを経由して、09〜12年の4年間に約3億5000万円がシンガポールの会社に送金された。[...] 残る約2億円も、この会社がペーパーカンパニーとみられることから、国税当局は西村氏の個人所得と認定。[Through Tokyo Plus KK, among others, in the four years between 2009 and 2012, {{currency|linked=no|passthrough=yes|≈350 million|JPY}} was transferred to the Singaporean company. Since it is considered a shell company, the [[National Tax Agency]] has determined the profit of {{currency|linked=no|passthrough=yes|200 million|JPY}} to be personal income of Nishimura.]}}</ref> Nishimura settled the matter by paying the owed tax, {{Currency|30 million|JPY|passthrough=yes|linked=no}}.<ref name="NHK-2013">{{Cite web |date=2013-08-24 |title=「2ちゃんねる」創始者"ひろゆき"氏、東京国税局から1億円の申告漏れを指摘される |trans-title=2channel creator "Hiroyuki" failed to declare 100 million yen of his income, Tokyo office of the National Tax Agency points out |url=http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20130824/k10013998681000.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130827202626/http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20130824/k10013998681000.html |archive-date=2013-08-27 |access-date=2020-08-21 |website=[[NHK News Web]] |language=ja |quote=過少申告加算税などを含む追徴税額は3000万円に上り、すでに納付されたと見られます。[The additional amount assessed by the National Tax Agency, 30 million yen, has already been paid.]}} (To view the archive, [[JavaScript]] must be disabled in your browser. [https://www.excite.co.jp/news/article/Mdn_31704/ Alternate convenience link])</ref>

=== Personal information leak ===
In August 2013, a hacker using the name {{Nihongo3||さっしーえっち|sassy [[ecchi]]}}<ref name="AERA dot-2013">{{Cite web |date=2013-09-20 |script-title=ja:作家は暴言謝罪、不倫もバレる？ 2ちゃん情報流出騒動 |trans-title=The 2channel information leak |url=http://dot.asahi.com/aera/2013091800044.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/http://dot.asahi.com/aera/2013091800044.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |website=AERA dot |publisher=[[Asahi Shimbun]] |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref> {{interlanguage link|2channel leak|lt=leaked|ja|2ちゃんねる個人情報流出事件|WD=}} the personal details (including names, addresses, and phone numbers)<ref name="CNET-2013">{{Cite web |date=2013-08-26 |title=「2ちゃんねるビューア」に不正アクセス--個人情報が流出 |trans-title=2channel viewer users' personal information leaked |url=https://japan.cnet.com/article/35036403/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://japan.cnet.com/article/35036403/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-23 |website=CNET Japan |language=ja |quote=N.T.Technologyは8月26日、不正アクセスによって同社の提供する「2ちゃんねるビューア」の顧客情報が流出したことを発表し、謝罪した。流出した情報の範囲とその原因については「現在調査中」としているが、約3万件のクレジットカード番号や氏名、住所、電話番号などの情報が流出したと見られる。[On August 26, N.T. Technology announced that the customer information of the '2channel viewer' stored by the company was leaked due to unauthorized access and apologized. Although the range of information leaked and the cause of the leak are said to be 'under investigation,' about 30,000 credit card numbers, names, addresses, telephone numbers, and other information are thought to have leaked.]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and [[credit card numbers]] of thousands of 2channel users who had used 2channel's paid services into the public domain,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Akimoto |first=Akky |date=17 September 2013 |title=Accidental leak IDs over 30,000 'anonymous' 2channel users |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/09/17/digital/accidental-leak-ids-over-30000-anonymous-2channel-users/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921125901/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/09/17/digital/accidental-leak-ids-over-30000-anonymous-2channel-users/#.VgEwMcuqpBd |archive-date=21 September 2013 |work=[[The Japan Times]]}}</ref> exposing the anonymous profiles of various high level personas such as politicians and writers,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tabuchi |first=Yoshirō |date=2013-09-25 |title=あの人が書き込みを......2ch情報流出の波紋 |trans-title="That person wrote this..."&mdash;the ripples of the 2channel leak |url=https://president.jp/articles/-/10701 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://president.jp/articles/-/10701 |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-23 |website=PRESIDENT Online |language=ja |quote=この件で1番怖いのは、匿名を盾に誰がどんなことを書き込んでいたかが明らかになってしまったことだ。2ちゃんねるが最も封印せねばならない部分が、白日の下に晒されたのだ。有名なライトノベル作家が他の作家を数百回にわたって誹謗中傷した事実が明らかになり、本人がホームページで謝罪に追い込まれた。某2ちゃんねるまとめサイトの管理人はあらし行為を謝罪、サイトの閉鎖を発表した。流出したメールアドレスからは、某政治家、某大学准教授の名前、中央省庁、マスコミ各社、商社、通信会社、国内外の有名大学まで驚くような名前が並ぶ。[The scariest thing about this matter is that it became clear who was writing what behind the shield of anonymity. What 2channel was most expected to keep secret was instead exposed in broad daylight. It was revealed that a famous light novel writer slandered other writers hundreds of times, and he was forced to apologize on his website. A certain 2channel ''matome'' site owner apologized for trolling and announced that his site would close. You can see the names of politicians, an associate professor at a university, central government agency staff, media company staff, trading company staff, telecommunications company staff, and staff of famous universities in Japan and abroad from the leaked list of emails.]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> including an attorney involved in 2channel cases, {{Nihongo|Takahiro Karasawa|唐澤貴洋}},<ref name="AERA dot-2013" /> and a staff member of [[AKB48]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sato |first=Yuma |date=2013-08-27 |title=「2ちゃんねる」個人情報漏えい事件、AKB関係者のアカウント流出で大騒動に!? |url=https://news.biglobe.ne.jp/entertainment/0827/mcz_130827_6673398159.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130830002645/https://news.biglobe.ne.jp/entertainment/0827/mcz_130827_6673398159.html |archive-date=30 August 2013 |access-date=2020-05-21 |website=BIGLOBEニュース |language=ja |quote=2channel personal information leak incident: AKB staff member account leaked? What's all the fuss about!?}}</ref> More than 74,000 users had their personal information exposed by the leak.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-08-29 |script-title=ja:＜個人情報流出余波＞書き込みバレて"公開処刑" |trans-title=[Personal information leak aftermath] The leak of posts is like a "public execution" |url=http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/nonsec/social/177889/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/nonsec/social/177889/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |website=Tokyo Sports |language=ja |quote=巨大ネット掲示板「2ちゃんねる」の有料サービス会員の個人情報約7万4000件が流出した件で [About 74,000 customers of giant internet bulletin board '2channel' had their personal information exposed online.]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The paid service involved in the leak was known as the {{Nihongo|"2channel viewer"|2ちゃんねるビューア}},<ref name="AERA dot-2013" /> or {{Nihongo3||●|maru}}.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-02-19 |title=「サーバーを確保しました」 「2ちゃんねる」に何が起きたのか 運営費がひっ迫？ |trans-title=2channel: "I've secured the servers"...what happened? Is the site in financial trouble? |url=https://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1402/19/news151.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1402/19/news151.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-23 |website=ITmedia NEWS |language=ja |quote=「●」こと「2ちゃんねるビューア」で昨年8月に発覚したユーザー情報流出だ。[The user information leak that happened in August of last year had its source in "●", also known as the "2channel viewer".]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>{{efn|The service received the nickname {{Nihongo3|{{literally}} circle||maru}} because users of it could signal their support of 2channel by attaching a "●" to their post in the name field, which other users could not do.{{#tag:ref||name=Shinjo-2002}}}} Its main utility was that it allowed users to read old threads; if a thread on 2channel received 1,000 posts, it would become part of the {{Nihongo3|{{literally}} past log|過去ログ|kako rogu}} by a process of {{Nihongo|"[[.dat]] omission"|dat落ち}}{{efn|name=DATNote|2channel threads were encoded in a quasi-open standard known as ".dat". [http://info.5ch.net/index.php/Monazilla/develop/dat 5channel's official documentation] includes examples.}} of such threads, after which time a thread was no longer freely accessible.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-06-01 |title=5ちゃんねる（旧2ちゃんねる）の過去ログを閲覧する方法とは？ |trans-title=How can I read threads in the "past log" on 5channel (formerly 2channel)? |url=https://hibouchushou.net/contents/10004.php |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://hibouchushou.net/contents/10004.php |archive-date=2021-10-27 |website=誹謗中傷ドットネット |publisher=ATB Law Corporation |language=ja |access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref><ref name="Matsutani-2010" /> 2channel charged {{Currency|3600|JPY|linked=no}} per year for the service, which was typically paid by credit card; logs of these payments were the source of the data leak.<ref name="Sudō-2013">{{Cite web |last=Sudō |first=Tatsuya |date=2013-09-09 |title=2ちゃんねる会員情報流出 約3万件、カード番号など |trans-title=Around 30,000 members of 2channel have had their card numbers and other information leaked |url=https://www.asahi.com/national/update/0826/TKY201308260038.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130909164307/https://www.asahi.com/national/update/0826/TKY201308260038.html |archive-date=2013-09-09 |access-date=2020-05-21 |website=[[Asahi Shimbun]] |quote=While anyone can read 2channel for free, only members who pay 3600 yen per month can search the archive of old threads.}}</ref>

At the time of the leak, Watkins apologized on behalf of N. T. Technology, Inc., saying he was the victim of a "cyber attack" and that "some data [of my] customers was compromised."<ref name="CNET-2013" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Watkins |first=Jim |date=2013-08-26 |title=不正アクセスによるお客様情報流出に関するお詫びとご報告 |trans-title=Apology and report regarding leak of customer information due to unauthorized access |url=http://2ch.tora3.net/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130826185113/http://2ch.tora3.net/ |archive-date=2013-08-26 |access-date=2020-05-22 |website=2channel Viewer |language=ja, en |quote=N.T.Technology, inc was a victim of a cyber attack earlier today. Some data for customers was compromised. Your data may have been compromised.}}</ref>

=== Domain seizure and split ===
{{anchor|2ch.sc|5ch.net|5channel}}
On 19 February 2014, Jim Watkins, as chairman of N.T. Technology, Inc., 2channel's [[domain registrar]], seized 2channel's domain. He took full control over the website, relieved Nishimura of all power, and assumed the role of website administrator.<ref name="Akimoto-2014">{{Cite news |last=Akimoto |first=Akky |date=2014-03-20 |title=Who holds the deeds to gossip bulletin board 2channel? |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2014/03/20/digital/who-holds-the-deeds-to-gossip-bulletin-board-2channel/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2014/03/20/digital/who-holds-the-deeds-to-gossip-bulletin-board-2channel/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-22 |work=The Japan Times Online}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Watkins made the ''kako rogu'' free to all users shortly after assuming control.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Koyama |first=Morio |title=2ch埋め立てと逆SEO |trans-title=2ch "landfill" (posting up to 1000 posts to get a thread moved into the ''kako rogu'') and reverse SEO |url=http://newsokuch.com/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/http://newsokuch.com/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-18 |trans-website=Web Public Relations [[Kabushiki kaisha|KK]] |script-website=ja:株式会社WEB広報}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Watkins claimed that Nishimura had failed to pay him money owed which led to the seizure as a way to cover Nishimura's debts,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Watkins |first=Jim |date=2014-02-19 |title=Let's talk with Jim-san. Part21 |url=http://pele.bbspink.com/test/read.cgi/erobbs/1383978434/554 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508213224/http://pele.bbspink.com/test/read.cgi/erobbs/1383978434/554 |archive-date=2019-05-08 |access-date=2020-05-21 |website=BBSPink |quote=The previous management was not able to generate enough income to pay the bills for the expenses of running 2ch.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Beran |first=Dale |title=It Came From Something Awful |date=30 July 2019 |publisher=All Points Books |isbn=978-1-250-18974-5 |edition=eBook |location=New York |at=¶21.48 |oclc=1048938602 |quote=When 2channel began having financial trouble as a result of the controversy, Watkins used the opportunity to seize control of the site, citing its failure to pay its outstanding bills.}}</ref> while Nishimura claimed that he had in fact paid everything owed and that the domain transfer was an illegal [[domain hijacking]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nishimura |first=Hiroyuki |date=2014-04-01 |title=昨今の2ちゃんねるの現状に関して。 |trans-title=Regarding the current status of 2channel |url=http://2ch.sc/www2chscindex.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/http://2ch.sc/www2chscindex.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-18 |website=2ch.sc |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In response, Nishimura created his own clone of 2channel at {{interlanguage link|2ch.sc|lt=2ch.sc|ja|2ちゃんねる (2ch.sc)|WD=}},<ref name="ITmedia-2014">{{Cite web |date=2014-04-01 |title=現2chは「違法な乗っ取り」状態──ひろゆき氏？が新サイト「2ch.sc」開設を予告 |trans-title=2ch is now in a state of "illegal takeover", says Hiroyuki (?);<!-- not a request for help translating, question mark is in title --> announces opening of "2ch.sc" |url=http://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1404/01/news146.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/http://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1404/01/news146.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-06-28 |language=ja |script-website=ja:ITmedia ニュース}}{{cbignore}}</ref> [[Web scraping|scraping]] the contents of the entire 2channel website and updating 2ch.sc as new posts appeared on 2ch.net. In a Q&A session on [[4chan]] shortly after becoming the site's owner, Nishimura claimed that 2channel was stolen by Watkins.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nishimura |first=Hiroyuki |date=2015-09-22 |title=Q&A Session with Hiroyuki Nishimura |url=https://desuarchive.org/qa/thread/183913/#192022 |access-date=2020-06-28 |website=4chan |publisher=Bibliotheca Anonoma |via=Desu Archive}}</ref>

Nishimura has attempted to repossess the domain both through [[WIPO]]'s [[Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy]]<ref name="Kennedy-2016">{{Cite web |last=Gabriela Kennedy |last2=Frederick M. Abbott |display-authors=1 |date=2016-07-28 |title=WIPO Domain Name Decision: D2016-1025 (2ch.net) |url=https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/text.jsp?case=D2016-1025 |access-date=2020-05-17 |website=[[World Intellectual Property Organization]] |language=en |quote=The Panel finds it prudent to note that the Policy is intended to handle cases of cybersquatting. Any potential business dispute between the Parties may be more appropriately addressed through court proceedings rather than through the Policy.}}</ref> and through the [[Judicial system of Japan#Courts|Japanese court system]].<ref name="Tokyo District Court)" /><!-- The Watkinses have claimed to have appealed and won in either the Tokyo High Court or the Supreme Court of Japan, but as I've not been able to find the judgment, I'm not sure if it's executory/final or not, or if it even exists. Also, they're obviously biased towards the strength of their case, so might not be reporting Court processes accuracy for whatever reason. So, their [[WP:SPS]]'s should ''not'' be added, only third party verifications. They are of course free to share the judgment with the world if it exists. --> Through the [[Japan Patent Office]], Nishimura owns the [[trademark]] "2channel",<ref>{{Cite court |date=26 July 2019 |litigants=In re trademark registration T5843569 |court=Japan Patent Office|opinion=Invalidity case 2017-890013 |url=http://shohyo.shinketsu.jp/originaltext/tm/1352426.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/http://shohyo.shinketsu.jp/originaltext/tm/1352426.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |quote=本件電子掲示板の事業が請求人（レースクイーン社）に適法に譲渡されたことを示す証拠はない |trans-quote=There is no evidence that the electronic BBS business was legally transferred to the plaintiff (Race Queen Inc). |language=ja}}</ref> though the WIPO refused to intervene on his behalf on account of that, suggesting the parties go to court instead as it was not, in its view, a case of "[[cybersquatting]]" but rather a "business dispute".<ref name="Kennedy-2016" />

[[Ron Watkins]], Jim's son, in 2016 registered the trademark "5channel" in Japan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kurihara |first=Kiyoshi |date=2017-10-10 |title=2ちゃんねる名称変更事件に関する知財関係状況整理（栗原潔） |trans-title=Sorting out the intellectual property situation which has led to the 2channel name change incident |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/byline/kuriharakiyoshi/20171010-00076752/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/byline/kuriharakiyoshi/20171010-00076752/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-21 |website=[[Yahoo! News]] Japan |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On 1 October 2017, 2ch.net began redirecting to 5ch.net, a domain owned by Loki Technology, Inc.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ishizuka |first=Fumito |date=2017-10-02 |title=「5ちゃんねる」に名称変更 ネット掲示板、権利紛争か |trans-title=Following a dispute over rights to bulletin board, name changes to "5channel" |url=https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO21770460S7A001C1000000/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO21770460S7A001C1000000/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-21 |website=[[Nihon Keizai Shimbun]] |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The chairman of Loki Technology Inc. is also Jim Watkins;<ref>{{Cite court|litigants=[[Office of the Solicitor General of the Philippines|Office of the Solicitor General]] vs. James Arthur Watkins, in re: Petition for Naturalization|court=Pasig [[Regional Trial Court]] Branch 166|pinpoint=R-PSG-18-03091-SP, Petition by James Arthur Watkins |url=https://issuu.com/manilatimes/docs/11manilatimes| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://issuu.com/manilatimes/docs/11manilatimes| archive-date=2021-10-27|quote=[James Arthur Watkins] married Liziel O. Watkins ("Liziel"), of legal age and a Filipina, on 20 November 2001. [...] He is currently the Chairman of Race Queen Inc., Emerald Pedistal Properties Inc., and Loki Technology Incorporated.}}{{cbignore}}—via ''[[The Manila Times]]''.</ref> his wife, Liziel, is the treasurer and majority shareholder.<ref name="Harwell-2019" /> According to a press release, the name was changed to 5channel to avoid potential legal issues due to Nishimura's ownership of the "2channel" trademark.<ref name="5ちゃんねる掲示板へようこそ-2017">{{Cite web |date=2017-10-06 |title=5ちゃんねる掲示板へようこそ |trans-title=Welcome to 5channel |url=https://5ch.net/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://5ch.net/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=6 October 2017 |quote=権利関係に関する無用な紛争を生じさせず「・・・」掲示板の名称を新たに「5ちゃんねる」へと変更しました。[The name of the textboard has been changed to 5channel to help avoid future unnecessary disputes regarding our rights to operate it.]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
{{clear}}

==Culture==
[[File:2channel Web browsing by Nintendo DS.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Nintendo DS]] browsing a thread on 2channel's automobile board as it appeared in 2008 via the [[Nintendo DS Browser]]]]
Due to its large number of boards, the types of information exchanged on 2channel are very diverse.<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2007" /> There are boards for topics as diverse as sports, sex, celebrity gossip, computer programming<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2008" /> and ongoing earthquakes;<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-11-07 |title=ネット地震情報震源地はやはり2ちゃんねる! |trans-title=The earthquake information epicenter is 2channel! |url=https://www.itmedia.co.jp/magazine/ybb/0312/hottopics/02.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.itmedia.co.jp/magazine/ybb/0312/hottopics/02.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-21 |website=ITmedia News |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref> even some academic research has gotten its start on 2channel.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Tanaka |first=Kazuo |year=2015 |title=インターネットにおける論文不正発覚史 |trans-title=A history of academic research on the internet which wasn't officially sanctioned |url=http://journal.skeptics.jp/journal24_tanaka.pdf |url-status=dead |journal=Journal of the Japan Skeptics |pages=4–9 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917014231/https://journal.skeptics.jp/journal24_tanaka.pdf |archive-date=17 September 2020 |access-date=20 March 2020 |number=24}}</ref>

===Anonymous posting===
One of the most distinctive features of 2channel is its use of [[anonymous post]]ing.<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2007" /> Nishimura explained his reasons for preferring anonymity online to [[USC Annenberg]]'s ''Japan Media Review'' thus:<ref name="Furukawa-2003" />

<blockquote>If there is a user ID attached to a user, a discussion tends to become a criticizing game. On the other hand, under the anonymous system, even though your opinion/information is criticized, you don't know with whom to be upset. Also with a user ID, those who participate in the site for a long time tend to have authority, and it becomes difficult for a user to disagree with them. Under a perfectly anonymous system, you can say, "it's boring," if it is actually boring. All information is treated equally; only an accurate argument will work.</blockquote>

However, a frequent criticism directed toward anonymous textboards like 2channel, most notably by [[Kazuhiko Nishi]], is that their anonymous nature make them mere {{Nihongo|"[[Toilet Graffiti|toilet graffiti]]"|便所の落書き}}.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070202054351/http://ascii24.com/news/i/topi/article/2001/08/13/628749-000.html 「"2ちゃんねる"には欠陥がある!」西和彦アスキー特別顧問——"2ちゃんねる西スレッドオフ会"開催]（アスキー、2001.08、ウェブアーカイブ）("2channel is flawed!" Kazuhiko Nishi, Special Advisor to ASCII - "2channel held Nishi Kick-off Party" (originally published on ''ASCII'' dated August 2001; archived on WebArchive.))</ref><ref name="Gotō-2015" /> 2channel's anonymity is a departure from most English language [[internet forum]]s which require some form of registration, usually coupled with email verification for further identification of an individual;<ref name="Sakamoto-2011" /> its anonymity in part inspired the creation of [[4chan]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robertson |first=Adi |date=2015-09-21 |title=The man whose site inspired 4chan is now running 4chan |url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/9/21/9364499/2channel-hiroyuki-nishimura-buys-4chan |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.theverge.com/2015/9/21/9364499/2channel-hiroyuki-nishimura-buys-4chan |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-21 |website=[[The Verge]] |language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On 2channel, a name field is available, but it is seldom used.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Olson |first=Parmy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ncGVPtoZPHcC&q=%222channel%22+name+field&pg=PT26 |title=We Are Anonymous: Inside the Hacker World of LulzSec, Anonymous, and the Global Cyber Insurgency |date=2012-06-05 |publisher=[[Little, Brown and Company]] |isbn=978-0-316-21353-0 |language=en}}</ref>{{Rp|PT26}} However, as [[open proxy|open proxies]] such as the [[Tor network]] are banned from posting on 2channel, the administrators have some degree of ability to help law enforcement unmask users if necessary.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-12-18 |title=プロキシサーバ利用でTor拒否サイトを突破する |trans-title=Using proxy servers to break through website security mechanisms that block Tor |url=https://radiolife.com/internet/virus/6148/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://radiolife.com/internet/virus/6148/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-20 |publisher=SansaiBooks KK |language=ja |quote=Tor経由では、2ちゃんねるにはアクセスできません。[2channel blocks access from those who use Tor.] |trans-website=Radio Life |script-website=ja:ラジオライフ}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="Matsutani-2010" />

=== Revenue ===
While 2channel and its successors are commercial, 2channel was moderated by volunteers.<ref name="Kaigo-2007" /> 2channel relied on advertisements from "obscure" companies.<ref name="Onishi-2004" /> In 2007, it had an annual revenue of around {{Currency|100 million|JPY|passthrough=yes}}.<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2008" /><ref name="Shibui-2008" /> Between 2009 and 2012, {{Currency|200 million|JPY|passthrough=yes|linked=no}} in ad profits were transferred to Nishimura's Singaporean shell company.<ref name="Ota-2013" /><ref name="NHK-2013" />

As early as 2004, companies such as [[Dentsu]] were [[data mining]] the website for their clients, keeping them informed of how they were being portrayed by 2channel users;<ref name="Onishi-2004" />{{efn|Gala is a division of Dentsu.}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Goggin |first=Gerard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TzslDwAAQBAJ&q=2channel+Dentsu&pg=PA418 |title=The Routledge Companion to Global Internet Histories |last2=McLelland |first2=Mark |date=2017-02-17 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-317-60765-6 |pages=418 |language=en}}</ref> by 2006, 75% of the content Dentsu analyzed on behalf of its customers was posted to 2channel.<ref name="Martin-2009" />

2channel also received revenue from subscription services like the [[#Personal information leak|aforementioned ''maru'']].<ref name="Sudō-2013" /> For its part, 5channel has a subscription service, {{Nihongo3|"Premium [[Rōnin]]"|プレミアム浪人|}}, that allows people outside Japan to post on it; this service also hides ads from its subscribers.<ref name="SUNDAY-2015">{{Cite web |date=2015-03-13 |title=【悲報】2ちゃんまとめ大ピンチ！2ちゃんがdatアクセス禁止でツールが使えなくなる！ |trans-title=[Sad news] 2channel has put ''matome'' sites in a big pinch! They've developed a way to forbid access to 2channel .dat files! |url=https://yukawanet.com/archives/4839988.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150313064512/http://www.yukawanet.com/archives/4839988.html |archive-date=2015-03-13 |access-date=2020-06-05 |website=秒刊SUNDAY |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=よくある質問 {{!}} プレミアムRonin (浪人) |trans-title=FAQ {{!}} Premium service Ronin |url=https://premium.5ch.net/faq.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://premium.5ch.net/faq.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-06-05 |website=5channel |publisher=Zero KK}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

====''Matome''====
2channel historically allowed anyone to use its data,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nishimura |first=Hiroyuki |date=2007-08-15 |title=2ちゃんねる掲示板へようこそ |trans-title=Welcome to the 2channel forum! |url=http://2ch.net/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070815205335/http://2ch.net/ |archive-date=2007-08-15 |access-date=2020-05-22 |website=2channel |quote=2ちゃんねるのデータの利用に関して、原則的に自由ですが、 2ちゃんねるのデータ自体を利用して対価を取る行為はご遠慮下さい。[As a general rule, you are free to use 2channel's data. However, please refrain from profiting from it.]}}</ref> providing it in an easily [[parsable]] format;{{efn|name=DATNote}} this made it simple to create third party "dedicated browsers" ({{Langx|ja|専用ブラウザ|translit=sen'yō burauza|label=none}}) for posting on and using 2channel. The openness of the data allowed for the proliferation of {{Nihongo3|summary websites|[[:ja:まとめサイト|まとめサイト]]|matome saito}} and {{Nihongo3|affiliate blogs|アフィブログ|afi burogu}}, which summarize 2channel threads and attempt to collect what they see as the "best of" 2channel.<ref name="Akimoto-2014" /> In 2007, due to growing discontentment towards such sites, Nishimura added a board, /poverty/,{{efn|Similar to the boards on the sites it inspired, like 4chan's [[/pol/]], boards on 2channel are, by convention, referred to by the ends of their [[URLs]].}} which marked every post on it with the phrase {{Nihongo3|{{translation}} reproduction [of this post is] prohibited|転載禁止|tensai kinshi}}.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-03-06 |title=なぜ2ちゃんねるは「転載禁止」を選んだのか——「まとめサイトVS住民」繰り返す歴史 |trans-title=Why did 2channel choose to implement ''tensai kinshi''? A lookback at the battle between ''matome'' sites and 2channel's users |url=https://nlab.itmedia.co.jp/nl/articles/1403/06/news127.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://nlab.itmedia.co.jp/nl/articles/1403/06/news127.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-08-11 |series=Netlab |language=ja |quote=2007年末には、営利目的への無断転載を禁止する「ニュース速報（嫌儲）」板が設けられた。[At the end of 2007, the /poverty/ board ("Newsoku &ndash; Poverty") was set up, which prohibited unauthorized reproduction of its contents for profit.] |script-website=ja:ITmediaニュース}}{{cbignore}}</ref> This caused many users to abandon other boards for that board.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2ch「ステマ」戦争 人気板が住民大移動で一気に縮小、その背景の事情と心情 |trans-title=2ch's "stealth marketing" war: Popular board shrinks due to mass migration, why? |url=https://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1201/13/news070_4.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1201/13/news070_4.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-22 |website=ITmedia NEWS |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Watkins made it a priority to combat "piracy" of 5channel by third-party ''matome'' sites in March 2014,<ref name="FACTA ONLINE-2014">{{Cite web |title=創設者の西村博之氏と現管理人が対立。騒動をきっかけに様々な「疑惑」が噴出している。 |trans-title=Hiroyuki Nishimura is in conflict with [2channel's] current manager. Suspicions are coming to the surface in the chaos. |url=https://facta.co.jp/article/201406002.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://facta.co.jp/article/201406002.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-20 |website=FACTA ONLINE |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref> adding ''tensai kinshi'' to many popular boards.<ref name="Akimoto-2014" /> Such sites siphon users from 2channel itself, with some receiving in excess of 100&nbsp;million monthly pageviews;<ref name="Akimoto-2014" /> in one case a ''matome'' site earned its owner {{Currency|300000|jpy}} per month.<ref name="FACTA ONLINE-2014" /> Watkins followed up the rule change by restricting access to 2channel's data in March 2015, by requiring that dedicated browser authors use a special API to access 2channel's, and later 5channel's, thread data.<ref name="SUNDAY-2015" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ichikawa |first=Yūkichi |date=2015-03-09 |title="2ちゃんねる"の新APIに対応した2ちゃんビューワー「Live2ch」v1.34 |trans-title=Live2ch v1.34 released with support for new 2channel API |url=http://forest.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/691881.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/http://forest.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/691881.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-22 |website=Windows Forest |publisher=Impress KK |language=ja |quote=今月3日以降、2ちゃんねる専用ブラウザーの開発・公開には「Jane Style」の開発元であるジェーン社などから許諾を受けたうえで新しいAPIを利用する必要が生じている。[Since the 3rd of this month, it is necessary to use the new API. Dedicated browser developers must get permission from the developer of JaneStyle to publish a 2channel dedicated browser.]}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=開発者の皆さまへ |trans-title=To all developers |url=http://developer.5ch.net/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/http://developer.5ch.net/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-22 |website=5channel |quote=5ch.net 専用ブラウザ（以下「専用ブラウザ」）を開発、公開するには、5ch.net の所有者である Loki Technology, Inc. の許諾を得て、5ch.net が提供する API（以下「API」）を用いる必要があります。ウェブスクレイピングを用いた専用ブラウザの開発、公開は禁止されています。株式会社ジェーンは Loki Technology, Inc. との契約で 5ch.net 専用ブラウザ開発者に対し API の使用許諾を出す権限を受けていますが、これは排他的な権限ではありません。[To develop and publish a 5ch.net dedicated browser, the API we provide must be used. The development of dedicated browsers that work via parsing HTML is prohibited. Loki Technology Inc. has granted Jane KK the non-exclusive privilege of granting licenses to our API.]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On 10 July 2023, Jane, a company that provided a 5channel API server, terminated its 5channel API service, thus ending several applications' support for the site. Some browsers, including Jane's, replaced their support for 5channel with another anonymous textboard site named Talk.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hasegawa |first=Shotarō |date=10 July 2023 |script-title=ja:「Jane Style」が5ch.netのサポート終了 新たな匿名掲示板「Talk」専用ブラウザーに |trans-title=Jane Style halts support for 5ch.net, becomes dedicated browser for new anonymous board Talk |url=https://forest.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1515334.html |access-date=10 July 2023 |work=Windows Forest |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=10 July 2023 |script-title=ja:専用ブラウザでの5ちゃんねる閲覧が不可能に、JaneStyleなど一部は「Talk」への対応を開始 |trans-title=Now you can't view 5channel via dedicated browsers, some including JaneStyle start supporting Talk |url=https://gigazine.net/news/20230710-5ch-talk-jp/ |access-date=10 July 2023 |work=Gigazine |language=ja}}</ref>

===Phenomena===

====''Densha Otoko''====
''[[Densha Otoko]]'' is a Japanese franchise consisting of a [[Densha Otoko (film)|movie]], [[Densha Otoko (TV series)|television series]], manga, and other media, all based on the purportedly true story of a 23-year-old man who intervened when a drunk man started to [[Chikan (body contact)|harass several women on a train]]. The man ultimately begins dating one of the women. The event and the man's subsequent dates with the woman, chronicled on 2channel, directly inspired the franchise.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Fisch |first=Michael |date=2009 |title=War by Metaphor in ''Densha Otoko'' |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/368622 |journal=Mechademia |language=en |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=131–146 |doi=10.1353/mec.0.0078 |issn=2152-6648 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://muse.jhu.edu/article/368622 |archive-date=2021-10-27 |doi-access=free}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Whether or not the original 2channel story is actually true is debated.<ref name="Youssef-2009">{{Cite book |last=Youssef |first=Sandra |url=https://www.academia.edu/707608 |title=Geeks and Creeps in No Name Land: Triangulating Anonymity, 2channel and Densha Otoko |publisher=[[University of British Columbia]] Anthropology Department |year=2009 |access-date=2020-06-04 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.academia.edu/707608 |archive-date=2021-10-27}}{{cbignore}}</ref>{{Rp|27}}

==== Shift_JIS art ====

2channel and its successors, being textboards, cannot have images posted to them. Users get around this, however, by posting a more expressive form of [[ASCII]] art: [[Shift_JIS art]].<ref name="Katayama-ASCII">{{Cite news |last=Katayama |first=Lisa |date=2008-06-19 |title=Art and ASCII: The Stories Behind All Those Brackets, Slashes, and Carets |url=https://www.wired.com/2008/06/mf-hiroyuki-ss/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.wired.com/2008/06/mf-hiroyuki-ss/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-24 |work=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}{{cbignore}}</ref>{{efn|"More expressive", here, is used in the sense that more art is possible with Shift_JIS art than would be possible with ASCII art due to the larger character set of the [[Shift JIS|Shift_JIS encoding]].}} Below is a small sample:

{{Multiple image
| align             = center
| width1            = 250
| width2            = 200
| image1            = ギコ猫.svg
| caption1          = Gikoneko predated 2channel, yet was used on it as well. It frequently appears with the tagline {{Nihongo3|fuck off|逝ってよし|itte yoshi}}.<ref name="Stryker-2011" />
| image2            = モナー.svg
| caption2          = [[Mona (2channel)|Mona]], an early example, appeared first in 2000. Derives its name from its frequent tagline, {{Nihongo3|I know you are, but what am I?|お前もな|omae mo na}}.<ref name="Katayama-ASCII" />
| image_style       = border: none;
| image_gap         = 15
| direction         = 
| total_width       = 
}}

====Political activism====
2channel and other websites with "chan" in their name have been known for [[activism]] done by their users for a variety of causes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fujioka |first=Brett |date=2019-08-07 |title=Japan's Cynical Romantics, Precursors to the Alt-Right |url=https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/japans-cynical-romantics |website=[[Tablet (magazine)|Tablet]]}}</ref>

== Controversies ==
[[File:ArudouDebitoheadshot.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Debito Arudou]], above, won a {{currency|1.1 million|JPY|linked=no}} libel judgment against 2channel in 2006 after Nishimura refused to delete posts calling Arudou a white supremacist.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2006-01-20 |title=2ちゃんねる管理人に賠償命令 掲示板での中傷放置 |trans-title=2channel admin ordered to pay compensation; textboard neglected duty to delete libel |url=http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0120/TKY200601200325.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060203022822/http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0120/TKY200601200325.html |archive-date=2006-02-03 |access-date=2020-05-23 |work=[[Asahi Shimbun]] |language=ja |quote=判決によると、同掲示板に04年3～12月、有道さんが人種差別主義者であるかのような中傷などが12件掲載されたが、管理人は有道さんの削除要請に応じなかった。 [In total, twelve slanderous messages were posted calling Arudou a white supremacist between March and December 2004. The admin ignored his request they be deleted.]}}</ref>]]

===Slander and legal issues===
During Hiroyuki's administration, he was often openly defiant of Japanese law, especially around [[libel]], and his duty to follow it, telling ''[[Yomiuri Shimbun]]'' in March 2007:<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2007" />

{{Blockquote|text=I don't have any intention of paying up to a country whose laws I don't respect. As long as they're not handing me the death sentence, I'm not backing down.|author=|title=|source=}}

By May 2008, Nishimura had lost more than fifty libel lawsuits in Japanese civil courts, and had been assessed millions of dollars in penalties;<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2008" /> by August, according to him, he'd received more than one hundred lawsuits.<ref name="Shibui-2008" /> While according to the official pages of the website, slander was prohibited,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-02-09 |title=2ちゃんねるガイド：基本 |trans-title=2channel FAQ |url=http://info.2ch.net/guide/faq.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070209080110/http://info.2ch.net/guide/faq.html |archive-date=2007-02-09 |access-date=2020-05-20 |website=2ch.net |quote=また、一般人の誹謗中傷・私生活情報暴露は禁止します。[Further, to slander or expose the personal information of an ordinary member of the public is forbidden.]}}</ref> activists such as [[Debito Arudou]] claimed that the site did not actually respond to requests to delete posts in his case, returning mail unopened.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-02-02 |title=Looking for the Law in Online Japan's Wild West |url=http://www.ojr.org/060202hornyak/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/http://www.ojr.org/060202hornyak/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-20 |website=Online Journalism Review |publisher=[[USC Annenberg]] |quote=In December 2004 through February 2005, I notified 2-Channel by e-mail at their designated address where you request deletions. They never answered. Nor did the defamatory posts come down.  So my lawyers contacted the owner, a Mr. Nishimura, by registered snail mail, several times. Returned by the post office unopened. We did check to make sure Mr. Nishimura was residing there, of course. So we sued. And believe it or not, Mr. Nishimura never answered any court communiques, never appeared in court, never offered any acknowledgment whatsoever. That's irresponsible on all counts.}}{{cbignore}}</ref> After the transfer to Packet Monster Inc., Arudou, who had still not received any of the court ordered penalty, wrote in an op-ed that Nishimura had only transferred his assets to increase his "unaccountability".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arudou |first=Debito |date=2009-02-03 |title=2channel: the bullies' forum |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2009/02/03/issues/2channel-the-bullies-forum/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2009/02/03/issues/2channel-the-bullies-forum/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-06-05 |website=The Japan Times |language=en-US}}{{cbignore}}</ref> While Nishimura at that point had never paid any of the compensation courts ordered in his cases, in 2010 one of his plaintiffs was successful in getting compensated through the publisher of one of Nishimura's books.<ref name="Matsutani-2010" />

=== Crime announcements ===
{{Nihongo|Crime announcements|犯行予告}} were a regular occurrence on 2channel, including of [[mass suicides]] and murders.<ref name="Adelstein-2015" /> After the 2000 [[Neomugicha incident]], in which a bus was hijacked by a teenager who posted on 2channel, police officers started regularly policing 2channel;<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2007" /> such surveillance only increased after the [[Akihabara massacre]] announced his 2008 attack on 2channel as well.<ref name="Hiyama-2010">{{Cite news |last=Hiyama |first=Hiroshi |date=2010-03-05 |title=Japan's hate-filled top web forum |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatnews/7375330/Japans-hate-filled-top-web-forum.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatnews/7375330/Japans-hate-filled-top-web-forum.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-20 |work=[[Agence France-Presse]] |language=en-GB |via=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="The Canadian Press-2008">{{Cite web |date=2008-06-17 |title=Four people arrested in Japan for copycat threats |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/four-people-arrested-in-japan-for-copycat-threats-1.302867 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.ctvnews.ca/four-people-arrested-in-japan-for-copycat-threats-1.302867 |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-20 |website=[[The Canadian Press]] |language=en |via=[[CTV News]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Former superintendent of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Tateshi Higuchi called the site a "den of iniquity".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ashcraft |first=Brian |date=2012-12-10 |title=Japanese Internet Mogul Hit with Drug Accusations |url=https://kotaku.com/japanese-internet-mogul-hit-with-drug-accusations-5970049 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://kotaku.com/japanese-internet-mogul-hit-with-drug-accusations-5970049 |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-20 |website=[[Kotaku]] |language=en-us}}{{cbignore}}</ref> According to ''The Japan Times'', however, 2channel cooperated with police in the past to aid them in catching criminals using 2channel by giving police their IP addresses, from which their locations were determined.<ref name="Matsutani-2010" />

Such crime announcements have continued to be a problem on 5channel:<ref name="Zaikei Shimbun-2019">{{Cite web |date=2019-05-17 |title=兵庫県警、5ちゃんねるに大量殺人予告の書き込みをした男を逮捕 |trans-title=Hyogo Prefecture Police arrests man who wrote of his plan to commit mass murder on 5channel |url=https://www.zaikei.co.jp/article/20190517/511212.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.zaikei.co.jp/article/20190517/511212.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-22 |website=Zaikei Shimbun |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="Kobe Shimbun-2019">{{Cite news |date=2019-05-15 |title=ネット掲示板でテロ予告 容疑で大学生の男逮捕 |trans-title=Terrorist plot posted to online textboard, suspect, a university student, is arrested |url=https://www.kobe-np.co.jp/news/jiken/201905/0012334257.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516002152/https://www.kobe-np.co.jp/news/jiken/201905/0012334257.shtml |archive-date=2019-05-16 |access-date=2020-05-22 |work=[[Kobe Shimbun]] |language=ja}}</ref> it was speculated that the man who carried out the [[Kyoto Animation arson attack]] posted an advance warning of the crime on 5channel.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-07-18 |title=京アニ放火、直前の「意味深」書き込みで広がる憶測 SNS、まとめブログなどが拡散するが... |trans-title=It's speculated the KyoAni arsonist wrote posts suggestive of his plans on social media. ''Matome'' sites are spreading the posts, but... |url=https://www.j-cast.com/2019/07/18362963.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.j-cast.com/2019/07/18362963.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-22 |website=J-CAST ニュース |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

===Far-right nationalism and anti-Korean hate speech===
{{Anti-Korean sentiment in Japan|Anti-Korean groups}}
{{See also|Japanese nationalism|Ultranationalism|Anti-Korean sentiment in Japan}}

2channel, with its massive size and anonymous posting, is abundant with slander, [[hate speech]]<ref name="Onishi-2004" /><ref name="Fuchs-2020">{{Cite journal |last=Fuchs |first=Tamara |last2=Schäfer |first2=Fabian |date=2020-01-06 |title=Normalizing misogyny: hate speech and verbal abuse of female politicians on Japanese Twitter |journal=Japan Forum |volume=33 |issue=4 |pages=553–579 |doi=10.1080/09555803.2019.1687564 |issn=0955-5803 |s2cid=213983501}}</ref> and [[defamation]] against public figures, institutions, and minority ethnic groups.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Salzberg |first=Chris |date=2007-12-11 |title=Japan: Flaming and the secrets we hide |url=http://globalvoices.org/2007/12/11/japan-flaming-and-the-secrets-we-hide/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/http://globalvoices.org/2007/12/11/japan-flaming-and-the-secrets-we-hide/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-06-28 |website=[[Global Voices (NGO)|Global Voices]] |publisher=[[Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="McLelland-2008">{{Cite journal |last=McLelland |first=Mark J. |date=December 2008 |title='Race' on the Japanese internet: discussing Korea and Koreans on '2-channeru' |url=http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1189&context=artspapers |journal=New Media and Society |volume=10 |issue=6 |pages=811–829 |citeseerx=10.1.1.691.4872 |doi=10.1177/1461444808096246 |s2cid=10037117 |via=[[University of Wollongong]] Library}}</ref> Far-right users of 2channel are referred to as ''[[netto-uyoku]]'', a term roughly analogous to "[[alt-right]]". Though the site has rules against posts illegal under Japanese law, the scale and anonymous nature of the site makes prompt deletions difficult to realize in practice. Furthermore, on occasion, 2channel has been accused of being reluctant to remove defamatory posts.<ref name="Arudou-2006">{{Cite web |last=Arudou |first=Debito |author-link=Debito Arudou |date=2006-01-18 |title=Brief: Libel lawsuit against 2channel |url=http://www.debito.org/2channelsojou.html#english |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070110221026/http://www.debito.org/2channelsojou.html#english |archive-date=2007-01-10 |access-date=2020-06-28 |website=Debito.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Chander |first=Anupam |year=2014 |title=How Law Made Silicon Valley |url=https://law.emory.edu/elj/_documents/volumes/63/3/articles/chander.pdf |journal=[[Emory Law Journal]] |volume=63 |issue=3 |pages=639–694 |access-date=2020-06-28}}</ref>{{Rp|676}} The discussion boards are also often used to coordinate real-life demonstrations; as an example, 2channel users organized an August 2011 rally against [[Fuji Television]], their complaint being that the channel was broadcasting too many [[Korean drama|Korean television shows]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jong-Koo |first=Yoon |date=2011-08-09 |title=Japan's right-wing groups hold rallies vs. Korean pop culture |url=http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?bicode=050000&biid=2011080940068 |access-date=11 August 2011 |work=[[The Dong-a Ilbo]]}}</ref> ''[[Sankei Shimbun]]'' reported in 2018 that 5channel, which received most of 2channel's users, has the same reputation for attracting ''netto-uyoku''.<ref name="Endo-2018">{{Cite web |last=Endō |first=Kaoru |date=2018-07-29 |title=ネトウヨ ユーチューブ「大量削除」の波紋 遠藤薫氏 |trans-title=The repercussions of YouTube's mass banning of ''netto-uyoku'' |url=https://www.sankei.com/premium/news/180729/prm1807290006-n1.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.sankei.com/premium/news/180729/prm1807290006-n1.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-21 |website=iRONNA |language=ja |via=[[Sankei Shimbun]] |quote=そもそも今回の「運動」は、2ちゃんねる（現5ちゃんねる）から「ネトウヨ」に対するカウンターとして始まった。2ちゃんねるが「ネトウヨ」の活動場所とみなされることが多い現状から考えると、この「運動」を不思議に思う人もいるのではないか。[In the first place, this 'exercise' started as a way to counter ''netto-uyoku'' users from 2channel (5channel). Considering the current situation where 2channel is often regarded as the activity place of the ''netto-uyoku'', there are surely some who find this 'exercise' perplexing.]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

2channel ''netto-uyoku'' frequently make racist comments against Koreans.<ref name="Sakamoto-2011" /><ref name="McLelland-2008" /> In 2009, it was even discovered that an ''[[Asahi Shimbun]]'' employee had posted racist remarks towards Koreans on 2channel.<ref name="ITmedia NEWS-2009">{{Cite web |date=2009-04-01 |title=朝日新聞編集局員が2chで荒らし 差別表現投稿で「厳正処分」 |trans-title=''Asahi Shimbun'' editor trolls on 2channel; newspaper promises to strictly dispose of any employee who posts racist comments |url=https://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/0904/01/news020.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/0904/01/news020.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-21 |website=ITmedia NEWS |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref> After the [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami]], fake news proliferated on 2channel, falsely accusing Chinese and Korean people of "plundering" evacuation centers.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Slater |first=David H. |last2=Nishimura |first2=Keiko |last3=Kindstrand |first3=Love |date=2012-06-07 |title=Social Media, Information and Political Activism in Japan's 3.11 Crisis |url=https://apjjf.org/2012/10/24/David-H.-Slater/3762/article.html |journal=The Asia-Pacific Journal |volume=10 |issue=24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924125919/http://apjjf.org/2012/10/24/David-H.-Slater/3762/article.html |archive-date=2016-09-24}}</ref>

== Technology ==
2channel operated on forum software that was considered innovative at the time of its founding, originally written by Hiroyuki himself,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tetsuya |first=Ozaki |date=2004-11-11 |title=100: Redesigning Tokyo |url=http://archive.realtokyo.co.jp/docs/en/column/outoftokyo/bn/ozaki_100_en/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200914180647/http://archive.realtokyo.co.jp/docs/en/column/outoftokyo/bn/ozaki_100_en/ |archive-date=14 September 2020 |access-date=2020-05-20 |website=REALTOKYO |series=Out of Tokyo |quote=Hiroyuki single-handedly created the program for his groundbreaking, autonomous/anonymous media when he had "time to spare" during studies in the USA.}}</ref> but later replaced through the collective effort of his [[Unix]]-savvy users; the software is known as {{Code|read.cgi}}.<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2007" /> It was a major departure from [[Usenet]]; however, when compared to other Japanese textboards at the time, such as Amezou, 2channel's format was not much different.<ref name="Tanahashi-2007" /><ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2008" />

Boards in the textboard software have their threads sorted by the time of their last post, so making a post would {{Nihongo|"bump"|上げ|age}} the thread to the top of the board index. However, when posting in a thread, users may use a function known as {{Nihongo|"lowering"|下げ|sage}} to avoid bumping a thread in this way.<ref name="Kaigo-2007" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kawaguchi |first=Masaki |year=2009 |title=sage とは |trans-title=What is ''sage''? |url=http://dictionary.infoseek.ne.jp/word/sage-188457 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200914173318/http://dictionary.infoseek.ne.jp/word/sage-188457 |archive-date=14 September 2020 |access-date=2020-05-20 |website=Infoseek Dictionary Japan |publisher=Heibonsha KK}}</ref> Often, posters will use {{Transliteration|ja|sage}} on purpose, to avoid unwanted attention.<ref name="Kaigo-2007" />

=== Major outages ===

==== 2010–2011 Korean DDoS ====
In response to racism towards Koreans by 2channel users, especially against [[Yuna Kim]], an athlete who defeated Japan in the [[2010 Vancouver Olympics]], the site suffered an extended outage in March 2010 due to a [[distributed denial of service]] (DDoS) attack conducted by a Korean hacking group.<ref name="Hiyama-2010" /> The attack against Jim Watkins' Pacific Internet Exchange LLC affected other sites on the shared network as well, including some belonging to US government agencies; it is estimated to have cost {{Currency|2.5 million||passthrough=yes}}.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.ipa.go.jp/files/000014123.pdf |date=2010-12-01 |publisher=Information Technology Promotion Agency Security Center, Government of Japan |page=29 |script-title=ja:サービス妨害攻撃の対策等調査 |trans-title=Survey on countermeasures against denial of service attacks |quote=ただし、米国政府機関など複数のサイトに被害が発生したことから、FBI等が捜査に乗り出し、把握されている被害額は約250万ドルに上るとされている。[However, due to damage to multiple sites including those of US government agencies, the FBI and others have launched an investigation and it is estimated that the amount of damage is about $2.5 million.] |access-date=23 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200914180057/https://www.ipa.go.jp/files/000014123.pdf |archive-date=14 September 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Watkins requested the American government investigate the event as an instance of "[[cyberterrorism]]";<ref name="ITmedia NEWS-2010" /> according to him, sporadic DDoS attacks by Koreans continued into 2011.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm13552174 |date=2011-02-10 |last=Watkins |first=Jim |type=Niconico Douga |language=en, ja |trans-title=【2channel】An urgent message from Jim Watkins |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm13552174 |archive-date=2021-10-27 |script-title=ja:【2ちゃんねる】Jim Watkins氏より緊急メッセージ}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==== 2015 8chan DDoS ====
Beginning on 8 January 2015, [[8chan]], also owned by Jim Watkins and hosted on the network of N. T. Technology, Inc., suffered an outage due to a DDoS attack. Due to the attack, 2ch.net, then owned by Watkins but not yet operated under the name 5channel, went down as well.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Machkovech |first=Sam |date=2015-01-08 |title=8chan, related sites go down in Lizard Squad-powered DDoS |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/01/8chan-related-sites-go-down-in-lizard-squad-powered-ddos/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/01/8chan-related-sites-go-down-in-lizard-squad-powered-ddos/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-23 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The attacks against the messageboards lasted until at least 13 January, leading "many 2channel users to become angry with the management".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-13 |title=「2ちゃんねる」サーバーダウンがとまらない サイバー攻撃の影響も受けユーザー「激おこ」 |trans-title=2channel servers are still down. Affected 2channel users are very angry. |url=https://www.j-cast.com/2015/01/13225130.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.j-cast.com/2015/01/13225130.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-23 |website=J-CAST News |publisher=[[The Japan Times]] |language=ja |quote=年末から続く不調に、運営側に怒りの矛先を向ける人も少なくない。[Due to the bad condition (of the infrastructure) which has continued since year's end, many users are angry with the management.]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

== Societal impact ==
{{Quote box
| quote = The 2channel forum is a Japanese internet phenomenon. This single site has more influence on Japanese popular opinion than the [[prime minister of Japan|prime minister]], the [[emperor of Japan|emperor]] and the traditional media combined. On one level, it serves as a fun, informative place for people to read product reviews, download software and compare everything from the size of their poop to quiz show answers. But conversations hosted here have also influenced stock prices, rallied support for philanthropic causes, organized massive synchronized dance routines, prevented terrorism and driven people to their deathbeds.
| source = Lisa Katayama, ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'' (2008)<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2007" />
| align = 
| width = 30%
}}In September 2007, 2channel averaged over 2.4&nbsp;million posts per day.<ref name="suzume graph-2007" />{{efn|name=FiguresNote}} As of July 2020, 5channel had 1,031 boards receiving around 2.7&nbsp;million posts per day on weekends,<ref name="SPARROW-5ch" /> with no growth since March 2016.<ref name="5ch-stats" />{{efn|name=FiguresNote}} Meanwhile, 2ch.sc then had 826 boards receiving around 5,700 posts daily.<ref name="2chsc-stats" />{{efn|name=FiguresNote}} Due to its popularity, 2channel and its successors have had considerable influence on Japanese society.<ref name="Katayama-Wikired-2007" />

=== Children's use of 2channel ===
Use of sites like 2channel by minors is a major concern in Japan.<ref name="Kaigo-2007">{{Cite journal |last=Kaigo |first=Muneo |last2=Watanabe |first2=Isao |date=2007-07-01 |title=Ethos in Chaos? Reaction to Video Files Depicting Socially Harmful Images in the Channel 2 Japanese Internet Forum |journal=Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication |language=en |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=1248–1268 |doi=10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00372.x |doi-access=free}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Some children's search sites, such as the now-defunct {{Nihongo|Kids [[Goo (search engine)|Goo]]|[[:ja:キッズgoo|キッズgoo]]}}, filtered textboards like 2channel.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mochimaru |first=Kōjirō |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=knqXbrCQRvoC&q=%22%E3%82%AD%E3%83%83%E3%82%BAgoo%22+%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%86%E3%83%B3%E3%83%84%E3%83%95%E3%82%A3%E3%83%AB%E3%82%BF%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B0&pg=PA228 |publisher=C&R Institute [C&R研究所] |others=MyNavi Publishing KK [株式会社マイナビ出版] |year=2005 |isbn=978-4-903111-04-9 |series=とっておきの秘技 [Secret Techniques] |location=Niigata |pages=228 |language=ja |script-title=ja:迷惑メール・スパイウェアの撃退法!: 情報の盗難・ウイルス・詐欺から身を守る |trans-title=Keep Spam/Spyware Away! How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft, Viruses, and Fraud}}</ref> In Tokyo, a [[local ordinance]] requires that [[internet service providers]] develop [[Content-control software|filters]] to prevent minors from accessing sites which could harm the "sound and wholesome fostering [of their youth]"; they must also confirm before installing a connection if any minors live in the household.<ref name="Kaigo-2007" />

Despite this, however, [[web filter]] provider Net Star in February 2007 released the results of a survey which showed that the utilization rate of 2channel for primary and secondary students was 12.2%.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-02-02 |title=ネット使用小中学生の12%「2ちゃんねる」利用「ちょっと早過ぎ」2ちゃんねらーも戸惑う |trans-title=12% of elementary and junior high school students use "2channel"; 2channel natives dismayed: "a little too early" |url=http://www.j-cast.com/2007/02/02005308.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/http://www.j-cast.com/2007/02/02005308.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2019-07-13 |website=J-CAST News |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In response to threads on 2channel about certain schools which were leading to [[cyberbullying]], the [[Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology|Ministry of Education]] in 2008 released a 65-page manual for teachers and parents on how to handle the issue.<ref>{{Cite book |publisher=[[Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology]] |year=2008 |pages=2 |language=ja |script-title=ja:「ネット上のいじめ」に関する対応マニュアル・事例集（学校・教員向け） |trans-title=Guidance on coping with "cyberbullying" and a collection of cases (intended for schools and teachers)}}</ref> Concerned about the popularity of 2channel among children and teenagers, a team of childhood education professors at the [[University of the Ryukyus]] in 2009 published a paper making recommendations to lawmakers on how to curb such use.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Yonemori |first=Tokuichi |last2=Nakama |first2=Masahiro |last3=Miyagi |first3=Hiroyuki |date=2009-03-01 |title=沖縄県の青少年健全育成に向けた情報モラル教育のあり方 ～ネット上の有害サイトから子ども達を守る方策を考える～ |trans-title=The Research of Information Moral Education For the Youth Healthy Training in Okinawa ~The policy which protects children from the harmful sites on the Internet~ |url=http://ir.lib.u-ryukyu.ac.jp/handle/20.500.12000/15427 |journal=Bulletin of the Center for Educational Practice, University of the Ryukyus |publisher=[[University of the Ryukyus]] |volume=16 |pages=1–11 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/http://ir.lib.u-ryukyu.ac.jp/handle/20.500.12000/15427 |archive-date=2021-10-27}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In February 2020, Nishimura himself wrote an [[op-ed]] in ''[[Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun]]'' warning parents about the dangers of allowing their children unfettered access to social media sites like [[YouTube]] and 2channel.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nishimura |first=Hiroyuki |date=2020-02-27 |title=YouTubeは13歳以下だと登録NG。子供をネットの危険から守るには？ |trans-title=YouTube shouldn't be used by kids under 13&mdash;why it is necessary to protect children from the dangers of the internet. |url=https://nikkan-spa.jp/1646990 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://nikkan-spa.jp/1646990 |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-21 |website=Nikkan SPA! |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

=== Politicians and 2channel ===<!-- Translated section from jawp: [[:ja:2ちゃんねる]] -->
[[Naoto Kan]], a future [[Prime Minister of Japan|prime minister]] who was then a member of the [[National Diet]], sent a legal notice on 10 May 2000 demanding that 2channel delete a post by someone falsely claiming to be him.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nishimura |first=Hiroyuki |date=2000-06-13 |title=民主党・菅直人氏より2ちゃんねるへの通知 |trans-title=Notice sent to 2channel from Democratic Party's Naoto Kan |url=http://log-chan.hp.infoseek.co.jp/kan02.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030127221349/http://log-chan.hp.infoseek.co.jp/kan02.html |archive-date=27 January 2003 |access-date=2020-05-28 |website=2channel |language=ja |via=[[Infoseek]] Japan: 2channel Log}}</ref>

After the [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic Party]] presidential election in 2007, Prime Minister [[Tarō Asō]] stated in a [[Fuji TV]] interview that he sometimes posts on 2channel.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-10-06 |title=麻生太郎氏「2ちゃん、時々書き込む」 |trans-title=Taro Aso: 2chan? Yes, I post on there sometimes. |url=http://sankei.jp.msn.com/politics/situation/071006/stt0710062210004-n1.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009231025/http://sankei.jp.msn.com/politics/situation/071006/stt0710062210004-n1.htm |archive-date=2007-10-09 |access-date=2020-05-21 |website=[[Sankei Shimbun]] |language=ja |via=MSN Japan}}</ref> During each election season, supporting posts for [[perennial candidates]] [[Mitsuo Matayoshi|Matayoshi Jesus]] and [[Mac Akasaka]] were frequently made on 2channel, turning them into something of a meme,<ref name="Asahi Shinbun-2019">{{Cite news |date=22 April 2019 |title=マック赤坂氏、港区議選に初当選 奇抜な政見放送で話題 |trans-title=Mac Akasaka wins Minato City election for the first time&mdash;received attention from unusual political broadcasts |url=https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM4Q049DM4PUTIL02Z.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM4Q049DM4PUTIL02Z.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=20 March 2020 |work=Asahi Shinbun |language=ja |quote=マック赤坂氏は「スマイル党」を立ち上げ、2016年の東京都知事選や国政選挙など、過去に10回以上立候補。政見放送に奇抜な服装で臨むなどして、ネット上で話題を呼んできた。[Mac Akasaka, founder of the "Smile Party", has run for various offices, including national offices, more than ten times, such as in 2016 when he was a candidate for governor of Tokyo. The eccentric garments he wears during his political broadcasts, among other things he does online, have given him considerable attention.]}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Murakami |first=Kōsuke |date=2019-04-22 |title=初当選マック赤坂氏「又吉イエスさんに報告したい」 |trans-title=Elected for first time, Mac Akasaka says: "I wish I could share this news with the late Matayoshi Jesus." |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/general/nikkan/news/201904220000871.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.nikkansports.com/general/nikkan/news/201904220000871.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-03-20 |work=Nikkan Sports |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref> similar to the repeated candidacies of [[Vermin Supreme]] in the United States. After more than ten failed candidacies for various political offices, including [[Governor of Tokyo]], Akasaka was eventually elected to the [[Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly]], representing [[Minato, Tokyo|Minato]], in April 2019.<ref name="Asahi Shinbun-2019" /> ''Asahi Shimbun'' credited Akasaka's online fame with helping him win the surprise victory.<ref name="Asahi Shinbun-2019" />

=== 2channel in the media ===
<!-- Translated section from jawiki: [[:ja:2ちゃんねる]] -->
Japanese news organizations often relied on 2channel to determine the issues the public was thinking about, and for leads.<ref name="Onishi-2004" /> However, the mass media often reports on it negatively,<ref name="Youssef-2009" />{{Rp|23}} similar to how it reported on [[Otaku#Sub-culture|''otaku'' culture]] a decade ago, before it went more mainstream, even though internet trends nowadays routinely slip through into other media.<ref>{{Cite web |last=St Michel |first=Patrick |date=2019-04-27 |title=Japan's internet took on a life of its own during the Heisei Era |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/04/27/national/media-national/japans-internet-took-life-heisei-era/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427151950/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/04/27/national/media-national/japans-internet-took-life-heisei-era/ |archive-date=2019-04-27 |access-date=2020-06-05 |website=The Japan Times |language=en-US}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The phrase {{Nihongo|"the online bulletin board says"|インターネットの掲示板で}},{{efn|name=KeijibanNote}} when used in reporting, may refer either to 2channel or to other forums. Movements spawned on 2channel often receive media attention, noting how the methods of 2channel activists break socially normative behavior and bring pressure to bear through sheer numbers.<ref name="Youssef-2009" />{{Rp|25}} Beyond this, though, 2channel posts were often a basis for media reports in Japan.<ref name="Youssef-2009" />{{Rp|25,32,35}}

TV programs have even featured 2channel's moderators and users;<ref name="Adelstein-2015" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-01 |title=ひろゆき氏、朝の情報番組の食レポで「美味しい」と言わず |trans-title=Hiroyuki appears on morning food information program...but doesn't call the food "delicious" |url=https://www.excite.co.jp/news/article/Techinsight_20191001_639934/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.excite.co.jp/news/article/Techinsight_20191001_639934/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-22 |website=[[Excite (web portal)|Excite]] |publisher=Techinsight KK |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref> comedian [[Hikari Ōta]], for example, criticized Nishimura during a discussion on the [[Tokyo Broadcasting System]]'s ''Sandējapon'' on the ideal limits of [[free expression]] as applied to social networks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=太田光、SNSで人を叩くユーザーを「表現の自由を履き違えてる」と批判 賛同の声が続々 |trans-title=Hikari Ōta, critical of abusive social media users, says that they "miss the point of freedom of expression" |url=https://www.excite.co.jp/news/article/Sirabee_20162076409/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.excite.co.jp/news/article/Sirabee_20162076409/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-23 |website=[[Excite (web portal)|Excite]] |publisher=Sirabee (NEWSY KK) |language=ja |quote=太田光はSNSの炎上について、「こういう問題の最初が2ちゃんねるだからさ、一番悪いのは博之くんだよ」とジャブ。[Ōta responded with a jab: "Because this problem got its start on 2channel, Hiroyuki-kun is the number one worst offender," he said, regarding flame wars on social media.]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

''[[Shokun!]]'' magazine, during its operation, ran a column known as {{Nihongo3|{{literally}} [[Kōjimachi]] internet weather station|麹町電網測候所|Kōjimachi Denmō Sokkōjo}} which shared "patriotic" 2channel posts.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ichirō |first=Okada |date=2006-04-20<!-- Issue number and date from https://web.archive.org/web/20160406234148/http://www.alter-magazine.jp/index.php?%E7%B7%8F%E7%9B%AE%E6%AC%A1%281-75%29 --> |title=政治としてのインターネット 掲示板とブログから見えるもの |trans-title=Observations on the political impacts of bulletin boards and blogs |url=https://www.alter-magazine.jp/index.php?%E2%80%95%E6%8E%B2%E7%A4%BA%E6%9D%BF%E3%81%A8%E3%83%96%E3%83%AD%E3%82%B0%E3%81%8B%E3%82%89%E8%A6%8B%E3%81%88%E3%82%8B%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E2%80%95 |access-date=2020-05-22 |work=Alter Magazine |language=ja |issue=28 |quote=保守系論壇誌『諸君!』では2ちゃんねる上における愛国的言説を紹介するコーナー（「麹町電網（インターネット）測候所」）まで存在するという。[There is even a column of the conservative magazine ''Shokun!'', ''Kōjimachi Denmō Sokkōjo'', that shares patriotic posts from 2channel.]}}</ref> ''[[Shūkan Bunshun|Weekly Bunshun]]'', published by [[Bungeishunjū]]), meanwhile, has been criticized for being seen as overly pro-2channel and relying on its posts too much in its reporting.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-02-08 |title=片山さつき氏、文春記者の刑事告訴も「ジャーナリズムではなく2ちゃんねる」 |trans-title=[[Satsuki Katayama]] lodges criminal complaint against ''Weekly Bunshun'' reporter, saying "''Bunshun'' is more like 2channel than journalism" |url=https://www.sankei.com/politics/news/190208/plt1902080013-n1.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://www.sankei.com/politics/news/190208/plt1902080013-n1.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-22 |website=[[The Sankei News]] |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Japan|Internet}}
* [[Futaba Channel]] (2chan)
* [[Ilbe Storehouse]], [[South Korea]]
* [[Shift JIS art]]
* [[Tianya Club]], [[China]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
  <ref name="Shinjo-2002">{{Cite web |last=Shinjō |first=Masaaki |date=2002-03-04 |title=2ちゃんねる、専用ビューワーを使った有料サービスをスタート |trans-title=2channel launches paid service for users of dedicated viewers |url=https://forest.watch.impress.co.jp/article/2002/03/04/2channel.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://forest.watch.impress.co.jp/article/2002/03/04/2channel.html |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-23 |website=Windows Forest |publisher=Impress KK |language=ja |quote=このほか有料サービスに登録すると、名前欄に"●"を使って書き込むことができるとのこと。なお、有料サービスがスタートした1日以降、一般ユーザーが名前欄に"●"を使おとしても、サーバー側で"○"に置換されて書き込まれるようになった。 [Those who subscribe to the service can also write a «●» in the name field of their posts. It should be noted that when those who are not subscribed put a «●» in the name field, the server replaces it with a «○».]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
  <ref name="Monolith">For an example, see {{Cite web |date=2020-05-08 |title=「2ちゃんねる」と「5ちゃんねる」は何が違うのか |trans-title=What's the difference between 2channel and 5channel? |url=https://monolith-law.jp/reputation/difference-between-2ch-and-5ch |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211027/https://monolith-law.jp/reputation/difference-between-2ch-and-5ch |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2020-05-21 |website=Monolith Law Office |language=ja}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikibooks|2ch Chronicle}}
* {{Official website|5ch.net}} (5channel)
* {{Official website|2ch.sc}} (2ch.sc)

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:2channel| ]]
[[Category:1999 establishments in Japan]]
[[Category:Alt-right in Asia]]
[[Category:Anonymous social media]]
[[Category:Anti-Korean sentiment in Japan]]
[[Category:Far-right politics in Japan]]
[[Category:Internet properties established in 1999]]
[[Category:Otaku]]
[[Category:Racism in Japan]]
[[Category:Internet activism]]