Thousands report 4Chan down, speculation over leaked data and suspected hack
Controversial message board 4Chan is experiencing a widespread outage, with Downdetector receiving over 1,200 complaints by 4 a.m. ET. Users across the United States and the United Kingdom reported being unable to access the site, prompting panic online.
Speculation of a major hack began circulating on social media soon after, with some users claiming that hackers had "dumped the entire database." Others alleged that lead admin and janitor emails, contact information, and chat logs had been leaked.
One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, 'Emails and contact info leaked,' while another raised concerns that if the site's source code has been compromised, it could result in unrestricted access to user IP addresses.
The incident has sparked renewed attention on 4Chan's security infrastructure. 'Badly formatted – bring back Moot!' one user quipped, referencing Christopher Poole, the site's original founder who left in 2015. Others blamed outdated software for leaving vulnerabilities open to exploitation.
Downdetector data shows 71% of reported issues relate directly to the website, with continuing updates indicating the problem is ongoing.
The platform has long been at the centre of online controversies, including the 2014 leak of intimate celebrity photos, known widely as "The Fappening," which included images of actress Jennifer Lawrence.
There is no official word from 4Chan's administrators at this time. Users are being advised to monitor trusted sources for updates.
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