Japanese news organizations often relied on 2channel to determine the issues the public was thinking about, and for leads. However, the mass media reports on it negatively, similar to how it reports on "otaku" culture in general. The phrase "the online bulletin board says" (), when used in reporting, may refer either to 2channel or to other forums. Movements spawned on 2channel often receive media attention, noting how the methods of 2channel activists break socially normative behavior and bring pressure to bear through sheer numbers. Beyond this, though, 2channel posts were often a basis for media reports in Japan.