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AT&T Blocks 4Chan.org, Prepares Will
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by Truemorist | July 26, 2009 at 07:13 pm
9102 views | 4 Recommendations | 15 comments
Imagine, if you will, a can of worms. Only, this isn't any normal can of worms. These worms are large, powerful, slick, slimy, restless, malicious, irreverent, crude, tech-savvy, and have a lethal degree of strength in numbers. And they have teeth. Sharp, web server-chomping, reputation excoriating, internet havoc-wreaking teeth.
This is 4chan.org, a notorious free-for-all internet forum known for its unruly members, NSFW content, internet pranks and attacks, infamous hacking exploits, and as the source of widely established internet memes such as LOLcats and the Rick Roll.
Now imagine, if you will, somebody opening this can. Not only opening it, but opening it while vigorously poking the worms inside with sharp, pointy sticks.
This would be the brilliant tactical manoeuvre recently executed by firm AT&T, which has been reported to have blocked 4chan on its servers in Southern California.
The LA Metblogs has compiled several sources that apparently confirm AT&T has blocked img.4chan at the ISP level, including reports from multiple Twitter users who cannot access 4chan and even calls to their help desk.
Not only is this troubling from a censorship point of view, but this move causes one to seriously question the mental health of those involved in the decision, as well. Unless AT&T was actually that curious to experience being the luncheon meat to 4chan's rabid tiger.
In other words, AT&T has just opened perhaps the most vindictive, messy can of worms it could have possibly found. Blocking any site is an extreme breach of user trust, but the decision to block 4chan in particular just seems stupid. Expect the web equivalent of rioting if this doesn’t change soon.
AT&T, we hardly knew ye.
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at 20:30 on July 26th, 2009
The blocking is not just southern california. if you visit any of the NSFW boards on 4chan, from what seems like any location, at least in the US, on an ATT connection (for me and several others in southeastern and southwestern michigan), the page will simply time-out, with no explanation.
If you visit any of the regular 4chan boards, the not NSFW ones, you will be unaffected. It seems as if AT&T is blocking img.4chan.org/*, since that is pretty much where all the NSFW content comes from.
Terrible move on AT&T's part, and i sincerely feel sorry for all their sysadmins, et al, who are going to have to deal with the backlash. The last ISP that decided to challenge 4chan is no longer in business....
at 20:34 on July 26th, 2009
I'm not even gonna say good luck to the idiot who decided to block 4chan. You will get hurt, guaranteed. If you piss off 4chan there's no hope.
at 20:46 on July 26th, 2009
Well,,, AT&T and 4chan are not the sharpest tools in the shed either, so let them go to war... its better then watching mindless TV.. but what is att so afriad of? come on 4chan is just a donut that got left in the coffee for to long,, warm soft and mushy.. and att is still pissing in thier pants about the iphone,,,,, really in the long run who gives a phuck....
at 21:40 on July 26th, 2009
working fine in dallas with at&t.... hmmm
at 22:09 on July 26th, 2009
Think about it, this really has nothing to do with 4chan, but has everything to do censorship. If AT&T are allowed to censor one site, what is stopping them from deciding on what the general public is allowed to look at and not look at? It was unfortunate that they decided to go after the internet hate machine known as 4chan. To be honest, better that site than some other site. At least 4chan will fight back.
at 22:12 on July 26th, 2009
the only server that is blocked is the one hosting /b/ and /r9k/ -- the two most popular forums and the ones that receive most traffic (and, by association, controversy)
it has also been confirmed that these blocks are nationwide.
needless to say, the issue is bigger than 4chan alone. a few (unsubstantiated) reports have already asserted that AT&T has already been blocking a number of other sites without informing their consumers. this is more than a slippery slope. if the citizens of the internet don't stand up for their rights, this is a headlong plunge into the abyss of censorship, the end of the information age as we know it.
perhaps a more appropriate epithet would be: oh internet, we hardly knew ye
at 22:14 on July 26th, 2009
the only server that is blocked is the one hosting /b/ and /r9k/ -- the two most popular forums and the ones that receive most traffic (and, by association, controversy)
it has also been confirmed that these blocks are nationwide.
needless to say, the issue is bigger than 4chan alone. a few (unsubstantiated) reports have already asserted that AT&T has already been blocking a number of other sites without informing their consumers. this is more than a slippery slope. if the citizens of the internet don't stand up for their rights, this is a headlong plunge into the abyss of censorship, the end of the information age as we know it.
perhaps a more appropriate epithet would be: oh internet, we hardly knew ye
at 22:14 on July 26th, 2009
It is rumored that AT&T has rolled back the changes and, for all intents and purposes, given in to 4chan, and will no longer continue blocking.
It's still blocked here in the detroit area, as before, but who knows, only time will tell.
at 22:15 on July 26th, 2009
It is rumored that AT&T has rolled back the changes and, for all intents and purposes, given in to 4chan, and will no longer continue blocking.
It's still blocked here in the detroit area, as before, but who knows, only time will tell.
at 22:30 on July 26th, 2009
This has nothing to do with censorship. Someone spoofed one of the IP addresses that is used for 4chan's /b/ and /rk9/ boards (img.4chan.org). AT&T made the stupid decision of blocking all traffic in and out to this specific IP address. This news is going to get blown way out of proportion, but then again, bad press for AT&T is always a welcome sight. Here's a link to a mailing list discussion on the matter. http://mailman.nanog.org/pipermail/nanog/2009-July/012182.html
at 13:10 on July 27th, 2009
Thanks for the extra information, everyone! It's much appreciated.
at 10:54 on July 28th, 2009
I would rally to take on ATT for principle reasons of their corporate arrogance. Rescind the call off and resume as planned using ATT service
at 12:04 on July 29th, 2009
AT&T worried about 4chan.org??? That's funny!!! Let me put this in perspective. AT&T is a 7 foot 350 pound man, 4chan.org is an ant on the ground. Get the picture?
at 23:16 on August 3rd, 2009
4chan is many many times worse than it used to be in terms of producing original/entertaining content. I'm not phased by any of their shenanigans, I just recognize that they changed from true hate-brewing misanthropes to clueless 12-year-old kids who go on 4chan just to be cool. AT&T blocking 4chan won't lead to anything because the real brains behind raids aren't affected by this, and any lone 4channers will have the brilliant idea of DOSing AT&T, which will lead to a termination of service, which is what they deserve anyways.
Tl;dr 4chan has sucked horribly since the 100 millionth get.
at 13:16 on August 26th, 2009
yikes, unit13...you must not be thinking of the same 4chan...