Poole did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Google confirmed that Poole is no longer employed there.
Poole, who goes by the moniker Moot, founded 4chan in 2003 at age 15. It grew into one of the most influential and controversial online communities to date. Rolling Stone famously called him a boy-genius and the Mark Zuckerberg of the online underground.
4chan became an early internet haven for nearly unfettered free speech. But over time, it faced criticism for hosting hackers, obscene imagery, harassment and leaked information often targeting women and minority groups and became the target of multiple lawsuits, as well as FBI subpoenas for threats of violence posted to the site, according to reports. In 2015, Poole announced his retirement from running 4chan and sold the site to Japanese internet entrepreneur Hiroyuki Nishimura for an undisclosed amount.
4Chan Founder Leaves Google: Who is Chris Moot Poole?
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4chan founder Chris Poole has left Google
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