9gag

9gag

Company type	Private
Industry	Social media, Entertainment
Founded	April 11, 2008 (2008-04-11)
Founder	Ray Chan and others
Headquarters	Tsuen Wan , Hong Kong
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Ray Chan (Founder)
Products	User-generated content platform, Mobile applications, 9GAG Redhead Redemption (game)
Website	9gag.com

9gag (displayed as 9GAG) is a digital platform and social media site headquartered in Hong Kong, that allows users to upload and distribute user-generated content or material sourced from other social networks. Since its inception on April 11, 2008, it has achieved widespread recognition across channels such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

History

Founded in 2008 by a group of Hong Kong natives including University of Hong Kong student Ray Chan, 9gag was developed as a novel alternative to email for sharing amusing images and videos. Chan noted that the name "9gag" originates from Cantonese, resembling "gou gag," which translates to telling a joke.

Starting with a "Just for Fun" concept, the creators incorporated 9gag into their application for the 500 Startups accelerator, simultaneously working on projects like StartupQuote and Songboard. Following their participation in both 500 Startups and Y Combinator programs, 9gag expanded its audience to reach 70 million monthly unique visitors. Eventually, the team dedicated their efforts solely to 9gag, offering equity stakes to 500 Startups in appreciation of their support.

During July and August of 2012, 9gag obtained $5.6 million in investments from Silicon Valley venture capital firms such as True Ventures and Greycroft Partners, along with notable backers including Chris Sacca, Kevin Rose, and Naval Ravikant. This funding enabled growth of their engineering departments located in Hong Kong and Silicon Valley. Operating out of its main office in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong, with additional premises in Mountain View, California, 9gag remains a privately held company focused on delivering entertainment content.

Mobile Application Development

9gag provides mobile apps compatible with iOS, Android, Windows Phone 8, and BlackBerry 10 platforms. In July 2012, the company rolled out optimized applications for iOS and Android, improving user interaction with its online content. By mid-2014, 9gag launched 9chat, a feature allowing users to send messages and participate in group conversations. Later that year, in December 2014, 9gag ventured into the gaming industry by releasing its inaugural game titled 9GAG Redhead Redemption.

Authorship and Controversies

Content on 9gag is frequently reposted by both users and administrators from other sources like 4chan, Reddit, and Instagram—often done without securing permission from original creators and replacing original watermarks with their own branding. In 2011, a dispute arose between 9gag and 4chan over the origin of certain popular memes, with each platform asserting authorship. Ray Chan, the founder, clarified that 9gag’s role is not to create memes but to facilitate their dissemination. An article published in Slate in 2015 characterized 9gag’s approach to reposting as part of a larger "online ecosystem of joke stealing."

The site has been criticized for hosting content considered discriminatory. Research conducted in 2014 revealed that nearly 9% of posts featured on 9gag’s front page contained discriminatory elements—primarily misogynistic content (57.5%), followed by cultural prejudice (25%) and homophobic remarks (12.5%). The study concluded that although 9gag promotes global connectivity, it often perpetuates masculine and heterosexual norms while marginalizing other demographics.

See also

• 1CAK