Google hires the creator of 4chan

It didn't take long for 4chan creator Chris Poole (better known as Moot) to find a new home after selling his brainchild. Google has hired Poole to take advantage of his 12 years of experience "building online communities." It's not clear exactly what he'll do. However, it wouldn't be surprising if he gives Google+ a boost, improving its recent focus on community and giving you more reasons to visit.

Either way, it's definitely a big change of pace. Poole established 4chan as the message board where almost anything goes, and indirectly helped launch Anonymous, legendary pranks and countless internet memes -- he's jumping from the internet's counterculture to the mainstream in less than a year. While it's not surprising given the incentives (Poole didn't make a lot of money from 4chan before the sale), the Google hire is bound to catch some of his admirers off-guard.