fredrick brennan and jim watkins

Watkins Xerxes/YouTube Rappler/YouTube

8chan owner demands that the government investigate claim he is senile (updated)

Jim Watkins, the current owner of 8chan/8kun, is claiming 8chan's founder, Fredrick Brennan, made libelous statements against him.

 

David Covucci

Tech

Posted on Nov 7, 2019   Updated on May 19, 2021, 11:32 pm CDT

8chan, the notoriously noxious free speech message board, is back online under the moniker “8kun” after several months of trying to find new servers. One reason it took so long for the site to find a new home—excluding its commitment to hosting the most odious content online—was that the former founder, Fredrick Brennan, was trying to stop Jim Watkins, the current owner from getting it back online.

Brennan had become disillusioned with 8chan, as it became a favorite of mass shooters in the past year.

Now, though, Watkins is asking the Philippines, where Brennan lives, to indict him for libel.

“The so called owner of the last bastion of free speech is suing me… No, not for tortious interference, kiddies… For libel!” Brennan tweeted. “We’re dealing with big brains here, so yes his lawyer (Atty Missing Exhibit) spelled my name wrong.  I look forward to arguing my case in court.”

https://twitter.com/HW_BEAT_THAT/status/1192245326255517696

Brennan later corrected his tweets, saying that Watkins was not suing him, but that his lawyers were asking prosecutors to look into indicting Brennan for the statements.

In the Philippines, libel is considered a criminal offense and thus Brennan could face jail time if an investigation into him resulted in a trial and conviction.

At the center of the complaint is a series of tweets by Brennan that accused Watkins of being senile.

Brennan pointed to his wearing a Q pin in congressional testimony, saying Watkins was senile and actually believes in the QAnon conspiracy theory. (The wildly debunked conspiracy theory asserts that a secret group of pedophile Democrats are trying to bring down President Donald Trump.)

8chan lawsuit

Watkins’ lawyers take issue also with claims made by Brennan that he is senile, calling the statement “untrue” and libelous.

8chan lawsuit

Brennan, for his part, seems unfazed by the threats.

This story has been updated to better reflect the nature of the complaint against Brennan. 

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*First Published: Nov 7, 2019, 12:34 pm CST