ensen ▁wrote ▁in ▁Games ▁and ▁Culture ▁that ▁G amer gate ' s ▁structure ▁as ▁an ▁anonymous ▁sw arm ▁allowed ▁it ▁to ▁create ▁an ▁environment ▁where ▁anyone ▁who ▁critic ized ▁it ▁or ▁became ▁its ▁target ▁was ▁at ▁risk , ▁while ▁allowing ▁them ▁to ▁avoid ▁individual ▁responsibility ▁for ▁har ass ment . ▁ ▁There ▁has ▁been ▁considerable ▁discussion ▁of ▁self - pol icing ▁and ▁the ▁responsibility ▁supp or ters ▁of ▁G amer gate ▁share ▁when ▁the ▁has ht ag ▁is ▁used ▁for ▁har ass ment . ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁websites ▁have ▁blocked ▁users , ▁removed ▁posts , ▁and ▁created ▁policies ▁to ▁prevent ▁their ▁users ▁from ▁threaten ing ▁Qu inn ▁and ▁others ▁with ▁do x ing , ▁assault , ▁ra pe ▁and ▁murder , ▁and ▁planning ▁and ▁coordin ating ▁such ▁thre ats . ▁ 4 chan ▁founder ▁Christopher ▁Po ole ▁b anned ▁all ▁discussion ▁of ▁G amer gate ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁as ▁more ▁attacks ▁occurred , ▁leading ▁to ▁G amer gate ▁supp or ters ▁using ▁ 8 chan ▁as ▁their ▁central ▁hub . ▁ ▁Many ▁G amer gate ▁supp or ters ▁have ▁denied ▁that ▁the ▁har ass ment ▁took ▁place , ▁or ▁f als ely ▁accused ▁vict ims ▁of ▁fabric ating ▁the ▁evidence . ▁G amer gate ▁supp or ters ▁have ▁used ▁the ▁term ▁" Liter ally ▁Who " ▁to ▁refer ▁to ▁vict ims ▁of ▁har ass ment ▁such ▁as ▁Qu inn , ▁saying ▁they ▁are ▁not ▁relevant ▁to ▁G amer gate ' s ▁goals ▁and ▁purposes . ▁Comment ators ▁have ▁de cri ed ▁the ▁use