Who would have thought that it would take Taylor Swift getting involved for someone to put internet bullies 4Chan in their place? The online message board most famous for inventing the ‘Rick Roll’, hacking Sarah Palin’s e-mails, and taking down many prominent websites has finally been upstaged after attempting to hijack a contest sponsored by textbook company Chegg and Papa Johns. Through a Facebook poll, the school which received the most votes nation wide would receive a free, private concert from Swift herself.
In a much more mean spirited prank similar to the one that ended up sending Pitbull to an Alaskan Wal Mart earlier this year, users of 4Chan and Reddit flooded Facebook to vote for Horace Mann School for the Deaf. The Boston Globe reported earlier that principal Jeremiah Ford had told them “his students love live music and that he’d be happy if the school won the contest, even if mean-spirited people fueled the win”. The top five schools would also receive $10,000.
Contest organizers decided to remove Horace Mann from the running, however Swift still decided to personally donate $10,000 to the school. That number will be matched by Papa Johns and Chegg, as well as Cover Girl, American Greetings, and $10,000 in instruments from VH1 Save The Music. While the school will lose out on a private concert, every student in the school will receive a free ticket to Swift’s next Boston area show.
If Taylor Swift’s history is any prediction, you can expect a mean song directed at 4Chan on her next album.