【質問】5chってどこから衰退したんや?
There's an active online debate about the decline of 5ch (formerly 2ch) and its causes.
Users point to various factors like the rise of smartphones shifting users to SNS, the deterioration of content due to "matome" sites, and operational changes making the platform less user-friendly.
This topic highlights a significant turning point in Japanese internet culture, inviting reflection on its evolution.
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2channel/5channel Management Structure and Name Change
"2channel," launched by Hiroyuki Nishimura in 1999, became a symbol of Japanese anonymous bulletin board culture. However, in the mid-2010s, complex issues surrounding its management emerged. In 2014, management rights were allegedly transferred from Nishimura, the de facto administrator, to the U.S.-based Race Queen Inc. (commonly known as "Jim"), which triggered subsequent chaos. Nishimura's side claimed this was an illegal takeover, leading to a situation where multiple "2channel" sites temporarily coexisted. Exhausted by trying to discern which was "authentic" amid this confusion, some users migrated to other platforms. Furthermore, in 2017, the operating entity shifted from Race Queen Inc. to Loki Technology, Inc., and the site was renamed "5channel." This series of management changes caused instability in the user environment and a sense of loss for its past culture. For instance, the monetization of specific IDs (known as "Ronin") and restrictions on viewing old logs—features once freely available—are believed to have alienated veteran users. This period represented a major turning point, shaking the very foundation of the community, far beyond just a name change.
Matome Sites and Copyright Issues
Matome sites are collections of websites that extract interesting posts and discussions from 2channel (later 5channel) threads, re-edit them into a blog format, and publish them. They proliferated rapidly from the late 2000s to the early 2010s, allowing many people to access 2channel content through them. However, this business model significantly contributed to the decline of the original 2channel. Matome sites reprinted posts from original threads without permission and earned advertising revenue, leading to strong backlash from original users, who labeled them "Afikasu" (a derogatory term for those profiting from affiliate marketing). A particular problem was the widespread practice of intentionally creating or guiding threads for matome sites, hindering the forum's original purpose of free discussion. This lowered the motivation of users who genuinely wanted to enjoy discussions, leading to a decline in the quality of the bulletin board. Around 2012, accusations of copyright infringement against matome sites intensified, and some major advertising networks began to stop serving ads to them. These issues created a rift in the structure of content consumption within 2channel's anonymous culture, fostering distrust among users who felt their content was being exploited.
Rise of Social Media (SNS) and Changes in User Demographics
From the late 2000s to the 2010s, social media (SNS) platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram rapidly gained popularity, fundamentally changing communication styles among Japanese internet users. While anonymous bulletin boards like 2channel/5channel focused on deep discussions and information exchange among a large, unspecified audience, SNS excelled at easier information sharing, interacting with friends and acquaintances, and expressing opinions in short texts. Especially with the proliferation of smartphones, SNS—accessible anytime, anywhere—quickly attracted users, primarily among younger demographics. Platforms emerged to meet diverse needs, such as X (formerly Twitter) emphasizing real-time information sharing and highly relatable posts, and Instagram focusing on visual communication through photos and videos. As a result, some users who previously spent time on 2channel/5channel migrated to SNS, seeking more diverse forms of expression and immediacy. Furthermore, users who felt resistance to the extreme statements and insular culture often found on anonymous platforms increasingly chose SNS, which are closer to real-name systems. This contributed to a shift in 5channel's user base and its loss of former prominence.