“We’re doing an 8chan AMA and we have no idea why. Come join us!” – this was the tweet that began all of it.
Last night time, THQ Nordic posted the tweet above whereas concurrently linking out to one of many worst locations on the web. The tweet and hyperlink continues to be reside. There’s an opportunity you’ll find yourself on a watchlist in the event you click on it. Don’t click on it.
The web site in query, 8chan, is thought for internet hosting youngster porn, creating harassment campaigns, white supremacy, and many extra vile shit – not that you simply’d want any extra after itemizing these first three points. According to THQ Nordic, the corporate determined to host the AMA as a result of a man known as Mark requested them to. Shoutout to Mark!
the chance was right here and we took it, we obtained apporached in a really pleasant and well mannered method and had been assured, mentioned individual (shoutout to Mark) will handle the nasty stuff. so, right here we’re.
— THQNordic (@THQNordic) February 26, 2019
The firm has since put out an announcement apologising for the AMA, blaming it on PR and advertising and marketing director Philipp Brock, who claims he didn’t do his due diligence. Presumably this implies he by no means even tried to Google the positioning as soon as earlier than leaping in.
Here’s the assertion, courtesy of our associates at GI.biz:
“I personally agreed to this AMA without doing my proper due diligence to understand the history and the controversy of the site. I do not condone child pornography, white supremacy, or racism in any shape or form. I am terribly sorry for the short-sightedness of my (!) decision, and promise to be far more vigorous in my assessment of these activities in the future. This was not about being edgy, this blew up and I very much regret to have done it in the first place.”
It additionally doesn’t assist that the tweet with the shoutout to Mark mentions taking “care of the nasty stuff”, which makes it seem like Brock did, in reality, know that it was a shithole. It additionally doesn’t assist that THQ Nordic’s most up-to-date ‘like’ on its official Twitter account is that this:
Don’t fear about it. Lots of delicate simons right here atm. The AMA goes nicely and is fairly humorous man
— DannusElMannus (@DannusEl) February 26, 2019
There are additionally a number of tweets from business individuals pointing to posts the place THQ Nordic obtained concerned in banter about “big tiddied lolis”. I’d screenshot the chat however I’d somewhat not need to subdue my PC in a vat of acid.
In an additional assertion to GI.biz, Brock clarified, “I am not a white supremacist, nor into child pornography, nor do I think this AMA was smart in hindsight and if I could, I would undo.” When it’s important to make clear that you simply’re not into youngster porn or white supremacy, you’ve most likely failed at your public relations job.
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