4Chan Gives a Boost to 'Undocumented Immigrants' on Time's List

In 2011, the TIME Person of the Year was "The Protester." If internet pranksters had their way, this year, it would be Kim Jong-Un. (TIME Magazine)

 

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"Undocumented immigrants" may climb to third place in TIME's 2012 Person Of The Year poll if a group of internet pranksters get their way.

Last week, users of 4chan -- an English-language imageboard where users generally post anonymously-- pushed North Korea's Kim Jong-Un to the top of the list as a joke. Now, they've decided to wreak more havoc on TIME's polling system, according to Gawker, by spelling out a damning message for the North Korean government with the first letters of every TIME candidates' name.

TIME Magazine

In 2011, the TIME Person of the Year was "The... View Full Size

TIME Magazine

In 2011, the TIME Person of the Year was "The Protester." If internet pranksters had their way, this year, it would be Kim Jong-Un.

The goal is to spell out, "KJU Gas Chambers," which reportedly refers to Camp 22, a concentration camp near the border of Russia and China where prisoners are believed to be killed in gas chambers. That means that if 4channers are successful, "undocumented immigrants" would move to third on the list. Last week, "undocumented immigrants" ranked in the middle of the list, and they are currently in fourth place.

This isn't a first for the internet hooligans. In 2009, 4chan managed to help their creator, Christopher "moot" Poole, reach the top of the list. Still, TIME maintains that the internet poll won't completely dictate the outcome.

"As always, TIME's editors will choose the Person of the Year (issue date December 31, 2012, on sale December 21)," reads a disclosure on the top of the internet poll. "The winner of the people's choice for the person who most influenced the news this year for better or worse will be announced on December 14. Voting closes at 11:59 PM on December 12th."