4chan: 2 men used online platform to allegedly threaten Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood

Two out-of-state men, one of whom was arrested last Friday, are accused of threatening Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood's life via the online platform 4chan.

Tyler Meyer, 30, remained in San Diego, California, Tuesday morning, records show. Richard Golden, 38, who was arrested March 6 in New Jersey, was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail on March 27 with bail set at $100,000, records show.

Each faces a charge of making a written threat to kill or injure, a second-degree felony.

This isn't the first time someone has been accused of criminal activity by way of the online platform.

Who are the men threatening Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood and where are they now?

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What is 4chan?

According to the website, 4chan "is a simple image-based bulletin board where anyone can post comments and share images. There are boards dedicated to a variety of topics, from Japanese animation and culture to video games, music, and photography."

The site was launched in 2003 by Christopher Poole, also known as "moot." Poole served as the head administrator until 2015 and went on to work at Google from 2016 to 2021.

Would-be users, who are supposed to be 18 and older, don't create accounts but must read and agree to the terms of the disclaimer first.

There are rules associated with each board, but the most popular one has fewer rules, according to Internet Matters, a UK-based online resource for parents and professionals on keeping children safe online.

The most popular board allows content, including hate speech "such as racism and transphobia along with specific pornographic and grotesque content," that isn't permitted on other boards, according to Internet Matters.

What are the suspects accused of posting on 4chan?

Meyer is accused of posting threats against the sheriff on the "Politically Incorrect" board, according to San Diego police.

His post read, according to police: "It's too bad Mike Chitwood isn’t safe now that I'm planning to kill him. I'm going to shoot Mike Chitwood. I'm going to kill him by shooting him to death."

Golden made a similar threat, according to the sheriff: "Just shoot Chitwood in the head and he stops being a problem. They have to find a new guy to be the problem. But shooting Chitwood in the head solves an immediate problem permanently. Just shoot Chitwood in the head and murder him."

How did law enforcement learn about the threats?

The FBI traced Meyer's threat to the San Diego man who police said "was initially hesitant to admit posting the threat."

Golden's post was flagged by the Central Florida Intelligence Exchange, which resulted in the launching of a joint investigation that ultimately led the FBI and South Brunswick police to him.

Why is 4chan controversial?

According to Encyclopedia Britannica Online, 4chan and similar sites have been associated with:

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• Extreme political ideologies

• Criminal behavior

• Hate-group recruitment

• Conspiracy theories

• Harassment campaigns

• Sharing illegal content

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: What is 4chan, site where threats to Mike Chitwood were posted?