X

Could the people behind QAnon really be doing it just for the lolz?

There’s a scene in HBO’s new six-part documentary about the rise of QAnon in which Fredrick Brennan, the founder of 8Chan, speculates as to why anyone would want to own a website infamous for hosting everything from mass shooters’ manifestos to child porn to the world’s most consequential conspiracy theory. The 27-year-old, who relinquished his administrative duties in 2016 and now wants to see his creation wiped off the internet, compares it to owning a yacht. The implication being that while neither generate income, both are a trophy or a status symbol for people with money to burn.

The least interesting parts of Q: Into the Storm are the ones featuring actual foot soldiers attending rallies, posting content to YouTube, and talking to filmmaker Cullen Hoback about how they’ve reordered their existence around a mysterious figure’s so-called intelligence “drops.” At its core, the documentary is a character study of the people who created the infrastructure behind the movement. The film excels at demystifying the denizens of a shadowy corner of the internet. There’s the aforementioned Brennan, who constantly strokes a Pomeranian like a cartoon villain, as well as a current 8Chan admin who drinks white wine with ice cubes and is partial to wearing Affliction tees. But at the center of the plot are Jim and Ron Watkins, a creepy father-son duo obsessed with antique fountain pens and raising pigs. They’re who now run the site and who Hoback ultimately concludes are posting as Q. Continue reading.

Data and Research Manager: