About
“The Supernatural Anon Hate Panic” is an event in late December 2014 where various tumblr users claimed there was a raid targeting users in the Supernatural fandom who had depression or social anxiety by perpetrators sending anonymous hate messages. Several popular posts spread through the micro-blogging site describing how the messages had driven users to self-harm and suicide, describing how to retrieve an IP address from anonymous messages, expressing sentiments of support for the alleged victims, and warning others of incoming anonymous hate.
These allegations were later found to have little basis, and the tag #affectedbyhate, set up to support those affected by the anonymous hate, was flooded with doubt about the existence of a raid.
The group behind the alleged attack was reported to be from 8chan or 4chan, invoking memories of the 2014 Tumblr-4chan Raids. While a raid was planned by the 8chan board /firstday/ against tumblr, it’s methods didn’t match reports of anonymous hate messages. Users from 4chan’s /b/ board, however, went to omegle under the tag of 4chan and simulated the planning of a raid. There, they passed along the usernames of supernatural themed blogs, and their “triggers.” Tumblr users acting as “spies” screen-capped the exchanges and shared them on tumblr. Other 4chan users spread a rumor that hackers from 4chan had planted a virus called s32 and advised others to delete it from their computers in a ploy to convince them to delete system 32.
Supernatural Cast Tweets
Several stars of the tv show “Supernatural” sent messages of support to the fans, including Felicia Day, Misha Collins and Mark Sheppard.
Change.org Petitions
Soon after the allegations of a raid, two Change.org petitions were made, one[1] which gained over 11 thousand signatures that asked for yahoo and tumblr to find and press charges against those responsible, and the other[2] only petitioning for tumblr to “Prosecute and investigate anonymous cyberterrorists” and gained nearly 2,500 signatures.
Search Results
External References
[1]Change.org – Find and Press Charges Against the IP Addresses Responsible for the Hate Campaign against Supernatural Fandom Members
[2]Change.org – Prosecute & investigate anonymous cyberterrorists on Tumblr