Chan boards offer users a platform for discussing an array of topics anonymously. People from all walks of life use them to express repressed desires or share amateur art pieces; costume-wearers use it too for dressing up as anime, video game or comic book characters; loud hateful trolls may use it too!
Chan culture's freewheeling approach has given rise to online boards becoming cesspools of hateful speech and commentary. At least three 2019 mass shooters posted hateful screeds before conducting attacks - but now there is a site dedicated to cleaning up this mess by aligning chans with law.
Endchan, launched earlier this month, uses an entirely different imageboard engine than 4chan and 8chan: LynxChan is designed to be resource-lighter and simpler to scale than older engines; in addition to requiring captcha verification for posts, it also enables registered users to create and moderate their own boards - potentially leading to better content or greater chaos, yet making it harder for administrators to shut them down.
Endchan stands apart from traditional chans by being created and moderated by its community members rather than managed by one administrator, giving rise to boards like /homestuck/, /furry/ and even /baphomet/ (when /g/ wasn't cutting-edge enough!). Users can post anonymously; however they must pass a captcha test which verifies they are human before posting on endchan.
Due to their open, permissive environment, many chans attract doomsayers with hyperbolic apocalyptic themes that attract doomsaying doomsayers who spread panic-inducing narratives. As a result, Internet service providers who fear toxic content on these chans have closed them down entirely; but doing so likely only serves to cause communities to migrate elsewhere chans instead of providing effective protection.
Visits to chan sites are generally safe, but it's wise to exercise extra caution. Malware exists across the Internet and it could be easy for an accidental click on a malicious link to infiltrate your computer or show disturbing content. To stay safe when visiting these websites make sure you use a secure Wi-Fi network; additionally it would be wise to utilize an anonymizing program like Tor.
