Earlier today, video game publisher THQ Nordic apologised after hosting an AMA on controversial imageboard site 8chan.
Philipp Brock, the PR & Marketing Director THQ Nordic took personal responsibility for the AMA on Twitter, citing a lack of due diligence and understanding as the decision behind the AMA.
“I am terribly sorry for the short-sightedness of my (!) decision, and promise to be far more vigorous in my assessment of these activities in the future.”
“I personally agreed to this AMA without doing my proper due diligence to understand the history and the controversy of the site. I do not condone child pornography, white supremacy, or racism in any shape or form. (…)
— THQNordic (@THQNordic) February 26, 2019
This was not about being edgy, this blew up and I very much regret to have done it in the first place.”
Philipp Brock, PR & Marketing Director THQ Nordic GmbH (Vienna, Austria)
— THQNordic (@THQNordic) February 26, 2019
The Darksiders publisher announced the AMA a few hours prior to the event.
We’re doing an 8chan AMA and we have no idea why. Come join us!https://t.co/i2okKUfpdP
— THQNordic (@THQNordic) February 26, 2019
And continued to answer questions even after posts like this:
When asked in the AMA why the publisher chose 8chan, ‘THQN_Fabian’ responded with, “I have no fucking idea. Mark seems like a nice guy though.”
[clear]
8chan was created in 2013 by programmer Fredrick Brennan, due to a perceived loss of free speech loss on the internet. Individual boards are managed by users, as opposed to moderators.
The site has been involved in racist and child pornography scandals, and was banned from Google Search in 2015.
When The Daily Dot asked Brennan if content related to paedophilia is inevitable on stringent free speech sites, he said, “Unfortunately, yes. I don’t support the content on the boards you mentioned, but it is simply the cost of free speech and being the only active site to not impose more ‘laws’ than those that were passed in Washington, D.C.”
The front page of the site also anticipates illegal content, stating:
Warning: Some boards on 8chan might have content of an adult or offensive nature. Please cease use of this website if it is illegal for you to view such content. On 8chan, boards and posts are user-created and do not represent the opinions of the 8chan administration. In the interest of free speech, only content that violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act or other United States laws is deleted.
8chan was also one of the main hubs of Gamergate, and even allegedly succeeded in swatting ex-supporter Grace Lynn after defecting.
Despite the notoriety of the site in the video games sector, the Darksiders publisher claims that it had never heard of 8chan.
“The opportunity was here and we took it, we got apporached [sic] in a very friendly and polite manner and were assured, said person (shoutout to Mark) will take care of the nasty stuff. so, here we are,” said Brock.
The apology on Twitter occurred after blowback on social media.
Ah yes the good ol’ aligning the brand with 8chan
Wait what the actual fucking hell
— Rami Ismail (@tha_rami) February 26, 2019
This is…not smart
— Lucy O’Brien (@Luceobrien) February 26, 2019
GUYS IT’S LITERALLY A SITE BLACKLISTED BY GOOGLE FOR PROMOTING CHILD PORN
— Ryan Brown ???? (@Toadsanime) February 26, 2019
[Variety]