Goodnight Moot.
Christopher Poole, founder of the controversial anonymous online community 4chan, announced Wednesday that he is stepping down from his role as the website's sole administrator.
"I founded 4chan eleven and a half years ago at the age of 15, and after more than a decade of service, I've decided it's time for me to move on," Poole, who goes by the user name Moot, wrote in a post announcing his decision. "I'm retiring as 4chan's administrator."
Eleven and a half years of @4chan, in numbers: pic.twitter.com/YhzUy0XbvQ— 4chan (@4chan) January 21, 2015
4chan has found itself at the center of a number of online controversies, including the nude celebrity photo hacking scandal that dominated headlines late last year as well as the ongoing Gamergate controversy.
Poole did not touch on these issues directly, but instead chalked up to the burden of being the "sole administrator" and "decision maker" as 4chan tackled the inevitable community and technical challenges of growing. He says 4chan should be on stable financial ground for the foreseeable future and many of his responsibilities have been "delegated to a handful of trusted volunteers."
The founder had attempted to move beyond 4chan by launching a second startup called Canvas Networks in 2011. That project ultimately failed, as Poole later described in an incredibly candid blog post.
"I'll need time away to decompress and reflect, but I look forward to one day returning to 4chan as its Admin Emeritus or just another Anonymous, and also writing more about my experience running 4chan on my personal blog," Poole wrote in Wednesday's announcement. "The journey has been marked by highs and lows, surprises and disappointments, but ultimately immense satisfaction."