I'm twelve years old and what is this? (2009)

added May 31, 2009 at 03:31PM UTC

23 Comments
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part of a series on Trolling

Background

On May 21st, 2009, 4chan users posted a ridiculous amount of pornographic clips on YouTube under the guise of popular teen contents like Lazy Town, Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus.

This so-called “Porn Attack” or “Pr0n Flood” against the video site caught the attention of BBC and the prank was featured in a news special. In one video titled Jonas Brother Live On Stage one of the YouTube user comments that were quoted in the BBC article was “I am twelve and what is this.” Then the meme was born.

[[This origin is disputed, please help us out by leaving comments with links or other information]]

Usage

Since the BBC coverage of the comment, 4chan users have been heavily using it in various posts all over the internet, usually involving strange, funny, pornographic, or any combination images.

Example

Speaker 1: Look at this picture (posts disgusing picture)

Speaker 2: I’m 12 and what is this?

What proceeds is newbies calling Speaker 2 a newbie. The newbies are unaware they are being trolled.

Variations: I am twelve and what is this, I’m 12 wat is this, i’m 12 what this, etc.

Media about the raid

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23 Comments

Captain Blubber
May 31, 2009 at 05:01PM UTC , Captain Blubber wrote:

I checked old /b/ and found several instances of this. I’ll post a screenshot if I can find a good example. If this continues and only if this doesn’t quickly die out it should be a meme.

Jamie Dubs
Jun 02, 2009 at 04:17PM UTC , Jamie Dubs wrote:

good looking Capn, pics would be good. this seems kind of interesting but sounds fly-by-night

Knyle
Jun 11, 2009 at 04:02AM UTC , Knyle wrote:

Added a couple pictures I nabbed.

May I suggest a link to the BBC article?

Pterodactyl
Jul 04, 2009 at 02:34AM UTC , Pterodactyl wrote:

Seriosuly guys, I’m a genius 12 year old, and I still don’t get it.

Dm4544
Jul 04, 2009 at 07:34AM UTC , Dm4544 wrote:

I remember reading about the porn attack on Ars Technica in the middle of work, I lol’d HARD at the prospect of 4chan flooding youtube with the stuff… right up until I remembered that I have two very young sisters who adore miley cyrus and stuff like that. Oh lawd, can you say “OHSHI-”?

fabian pinto
Jul 18, 2009 at 09:51AM UTC , fabian pinto wrote:

yes, is more old than the attack, for example in CP thread all the time

BA_moooper_4000
Jul 22, 2009 at 08:55PM UTC , BA_moooper_4000 wrote:

As a fellow 12-year-old, this stuff is pretty abstruse. What is it?

Badgerfrank10
Jul 29, 2009 at 04:37PM UTC , Badgerfrank10 wrote:

CP huh?, a cat is fine too…

Anonymoose
Aug 08, 2009 at 11:02PM UTC , Anonymoose wrote:

THE ORIGINAL POSTING WAS A REACTION FROM AN ACTUAL TWELVE YEAR OLD IN LATE MAY OF THIS VERY YEAR. HE STUMBLED UPON “EBAUMSWORLD” ONE DAY, ONLY TO BE GREETED WITH A FURRY THREAD, POSTING THE NOW POPULAR PHRASE IN DISMAY. SOME RANDOM ANON REMEMBERED THIS BRAVE YOUNG LAD’S POST AND REPOSTED IT UNDER THE “JONAS BROTHERS” VIDEO. DON’T BELIEVE ME? IM SURE SOMEONE ELSE REMEMBERS THAT FATEFUL DAY…

Badgerfrank10
Aug 10, 2009 at 01:53PM UTC , Badgerfrank10 wrote:

unsure of sincerity frank is unsure of sincerity

pokecatchsoul
Aug 25, 2009 at 10:56PM UTC , pokecatchsoul wrote:

I’m 12 and what is this?

jumpropeman
Sep 08, 2009 at 05:55AM UTC , jumpropeman wrote:

The lie of this meme report disturbs me. When I heard BBC put this on their broadcast, I loled, because I recognized it from /b/ Correct this!!

jumpropeman
Sep 30, 2009 at 07:42AM UTC , jumpropeman wrote:

I’m still raging about the lie of this origin. I can’t find anything in the 4chan archives (too much porn there anyway…) to disprove it, but even ED’s talk page on the meme admits the origin is elsewhere. http://encyclopediadramatica.com/Talk:I%27m_12_years_old_and_what_is_this%3F
I’m probably just making unnecessary waves, but this bothers me day and night

Joeflims
Oct 12, 2009 at 08:18PM UTC , Joeflims wrote:

I’m 12 years old and what is this?

crazy8rgood
Nov 15, 2009 at 05:27AM UTC , crazy8rgood wrote:

“I’m 12 and what is this” was around WAY before the whole Youtube porn incident, YEARS before that.

Jakub Ostapczuk
Jan 05, 2010 at 05:08PM UTC , Jakub Ostapczuk wrote:

I’m 11 and a half and WTF is this? Those “12 years-olds” dont look like 12, they look YOUNGER. I know, I’m just spamming. NO U

icobain
Jan 12, 2010 at 05:25PM UTC , icobain wrote:

i don’t get it ?

Chi The Cat
Jan 29, 2010 at 09:29AM UTC , Chi The Cat wrote:

This is a cookie-cutter reaction to anything pornographic you may see, just to stir up trouble. To troll, of course. Rather than the usual “wat,” you can instead spice things up with the prospect of being a 12 year old in an obviously adult thread! What fun!

But in all seriousness, I’m 19 and what is this?

Vlad
Feb 26, 2010 at 08:16PM UTC , Vlad wrote:

I’m 21 Years old and what is this?
I’m 12 Years old and what is this?
Get it? 21 is 12 Backwards.

ownagepie24
Mar 07, 2010 at 03:02AM UTC , ownagepie24 wrote:

I’m 13 years old and I FINALLY FIGURED OUT WHAT THIS IS!

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