If 4chan gets pissed off at me, my available recourse involves scouring all data traces I've made across the Internet and then hoping I did it fast enough before the pain train begins. At best, I could post some kind of apology or concession and pray they lose interest.

If the government wanted to put me in jail, my available recourse starts with a reasonably well documented legal system interested in fairly representing and judging me and extends all the way to, well... asking 4chan for help.

Maybe if I were black or female or gay, I'd prefer 4chan's treatment, but only maybe.