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When people recognize/approach me on the street, they often qualify it with "B-but I don't use 4chan [anymore]."

There's certainly a stigma.

I don't think so. It's more like saying "I'm an oldfag, I'm a kind of elitist". The hipster who was on 4chan before it was cool.

Being on 4chan might be a kind of stigma, but not very much. I guess the average internet user looks down to thumblr not to 4chan. 4chan are a somehow the cool kids. Somehow.

I strongly doubt the average internet user knows what 4chan is.

"internet user" in what capacity (checks their emails every week, or participates on online forums?) and in what age bracket? Once you exclude most of the internet users who are only nominally "using the internet", I suspect most are at least vaguely aware of 4chan.

I meant in the most broad sense, which at this point is someone who uses email/Facebook/etc. daily.

* Once you exclude most of the internet users who are only nominally "using the internet", I suspect most are at least vaguely aware of 4chan.*

I agree! But I think the proportion of people you'd be excluding there is the overwhelming majority.

Or they saw a CNN special report on internet hackers and think they know what it is.

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