8chan: owner of extremist site lashes out as scrutiny intensifies
Jim Watkins defended website amid growing outcry over reports the alleged El Paso gunman used the site to publish his manifesto
The owner of the extremist message board 8chan broke his silence on Tuesday in a defensive video statement that attempted to deflect blame for the role the platform plays in disseminating hate speech and inciting violence by lashing out at service providers, journalists and Instagram.
Jim Watkins, a US military veteran who lives in the Philippines, defended the website amid growing outcry over reports that the alleged El Paso gunman, as well as several other mass shooting suspects, used the site to publish white nationalist manifestos ahead of violent attacks.