Google hires 4chan founder Moot to revive Google+

[CCarter]

I saw this and thought it was a troll, but no, it's reality. Just when I thought Google+ was finally dead... Maybe by making it a little more anonymous they have a chance, I dunno...

Google's long ailing social network, Google+ is about to get a little help from the guy who built one of the most infamous online communities.

Chris Poole, the founder of 4chan, a service perhaps best known for some of its users hacking celebrity nude photos, is joining Google's Photos and Streams team, the division that now oversees Google+ and other social products.

Bradley Horowitz, the Google VP in charge of Photos and Streams, confirmed Poole's position on the team.

You may have seen the news (https://t.co/jwjOBocqJk) from @moot. Thrilled he's joining the team! Welcome Chris!

— Bradley Horowitz (@elatable) March 7, 2016
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The high-profile hire comes at a time when Google is shifting away from its failed efforts to build a Facebook killer and looking instead to create a social network focused around targeted interests and communities — ranging from street photography to food blogging.

Think Pinterest, rather than Facebook.
A builder of online communities

If Google really wants to cement Google+ as a loyal and passionate online community for millions, rather than one long failed attempt to find a social media footprint, Poole isn't a bad bet.

For all the controversy surrounding 4chan, Poole is widely known for building up and managing an incredibly active (some might say rabid) community of 20 million monthly users.

"I can’t wait to contribute my own experience from a dozen years of building online communities, and to begin the next chapter of my career at such an incredible company," Poole wrote in a blog post Monday announcing his new job.

Poole founded 4chan more than a decade ago while still in high school and single-handedly presided over its rise.

While the engagement and community may have been enviable, 4chan's history of harassment was not. Poole, never one to espouse or endorse the views of his community, nonetheless preached the merits of anonymity to create a place online for that kind of discourse.

He stepped down from his role overseeing the community a year ago, just months after the infamous celebrity photo hack.

"I’ve never worked for someone before. I would like to," Poole said in an interview with Mashable at the time. "Are there other community apps or anonymous apps that would benefit from my decade of experience?"

We're about to find out.
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Original: http://mashable.com/2016/03/07/4chan-creator-joins-google-team/

 

[Stephen]

Google+ is the unwanted child of the Google family, I think they would have to do something radical with it for it start growing as a network again.

 

[Ryuzaki]

I'm really surprised that Google would hire the guy. It's not that he's not qualified, but just his association with 4chan seems like it'd make him an untouchable. Maybe they are banking on the normies not really knowing enough about 4chan to raise a stink over it.

 

[Tucky]

Trouble is, just about every article about this mentions he was part of the "notorious 4chan" so even if they didn't know they will now.

And is it me, or does he look like he would fit right in with the original Beach Boys lineup?

 

[CCarter]

If you really think about it what normal consumers knows who the developers are for the software they use? Would they really be able to tell you the founders of the companies of Youtube, Google, 4chan, or the name of the current CEO of Microsoft off the top of their heads? Only people within their respective industries would know who the players are - consumers rarely know and never care who created XYZ until they go look them up on Wikipedia.

 

[Sin]

I think it is a good move from Google's part. I don't really see the downside of the background of that guy and I don't see who is more qualified and who would have accepted the job.

The only thing is that the success of 4chan won't bring the same to Google+. The audience is obviously really different and what made 4chan popular was well... the fact that it attract an audience that wanted to watch and talk about the extreme that is allowed to be found on the public internet.

 

[Calamari]

Trouble is, just about every article about this mentions he was part of the "notorious 4chan" so even if they didn't know they will now.

Since the article isn't related to a Kardashian or Trump it probably won't get read by anyone that didn't already know what 4chan is anyway.

 

[Phenom]

I am on the phone with a Google+ rep at least 1hr per day. They need to just suck it the fuck up and make Google My Business what DMOZ was supposed to be.