Controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2021
Threats against public officials
Joshua Doctor was arrested and charged with terrorism after allegedly posting death threats against Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and Gretchen Whitmer on iFunny. Prosecutors also cited bomb-making instructions found on his smartphone. iFunny's chief information officer said the relevant content violated the platform's anti-violence rules.
2020
Threats involving national political figures
During the investigation of Alexander Treisman, authorities identified posts on iFunny and Reddit that allegedly threatened Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The case also involved weapons, explosives-related materials, and separate child-pornography charges. The online posts formed only part of the broader criminal investigation.
2019
The Base recruitment material
Vice News reported that the neo-Nazi group The Base used iFunny to post recruitment propaganda. One account reportedly shared QR codes intended to encourage contact with the group. The episode drew attention to the platform's use by organized extremist networks.
2019
Threats attributed to ArmyofChrist account
Justin Olsen was arrested after allegedly using an iFunny account with nearly 6,000 subscribers to threaten federal agents, glorify mass shootings, and promote an imagined religious conflict. He later received probation in July 2020. The case illustrated the challenge of distinguishing purported joking from actionable threats.
2019
Women's health clinic threats
Farhan Sheikh was arrested after allegedly posting direct threats to kill doctors, patients, and visitors at a women's health clinic near his home. The account reportedly stated that the threats were not satirical. The case intensified concerns about violent threats being published through meme and humor services.
2018
Extremist activity surrounding the Samuel Woodward case
Samuel Woodward, who was arrested in connection with the killing of Blaze Bernstein, had previously operated an iFunny account under the name Saboteur and was associated with Atomwaffen Division. Reference material says the account carried racist, violent, and white-supremacist content; some iFunny users also used Bernstein's death as meme material and expressed support for Woodward. The incident raised concerns about extremist subcultures and harmful content on the platform.