The primary export of places like that has proven to be brigading, harassment, and bigotry in the form of memes, so...no, not really.

I have yet to hear a positive argument for their existence, and "well it collects the dirtbags!" is actually not one. I spent years tracking reactionary and fascist movements on the internet and how they interrelate and spread information; these sites more or less exist to do exactly that. The targeted harassment campagins that target random people they've decided not to like--that's just "for the lulz".

The norming of bigotry should be recognized and acted against when it occurs. When that norming is done through (shitty) humor, it should be pointed out as such. Did you have a point to make?

> do you not believe that the exceptional openness of either of those two platforms has an impact on places outside of them?

Oh, there's definitely an impact.

> Do you think there's no intangible benefits to you by these places merely existing?

Yeah, the campaigns to harass a game emulator developer to suicide because "40% is a good start" are a fantastic benefit to society, obviously.

One wholesome thing 4chan did: Mr.Lashua's Birthday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lgw7YUYgIc

What places? Like a hypothetical anti-censorship platform, or are you thinking of something that already exists like 4chan (if that even counts)?