Who Is Jeff The Killer? The Creepy Internet Legend's Origin Story Explained

An unnerving image of a pale creature grinning at the camera even as it has no nose, ears, or eyelids to speak of has been a part of the early internet creepy canon since the mid-2000s. The creature has since been christened Jeff the Killer and has had its story told, retold, warped, and edited since it was first shared. Here's all you need to know to keep your story straight if you ever encounter Jeff and his infamous slogan; "Go to sleep…"

Where Does The Image Of Jeff The Killer Come From?

The earliest known post referring to a specific image of a white-faced man with sharp teeth, wide eyes and no nose comes from a Japanese site called pya.cc. This was before the advent of artificial intelligence or widespread access to Photoshop tools, so the uncanniness of the images led to them being shared on email chains and forums across the internet. Soon, the "person" in the image earned the nickname Jeff the Killer.

How Did The Image Of Jeff The Killer Spread?

The creepy image began to spread far and wide greatly in part to its use in jumpscare videos, colloquially called internet screamers. An early internet screamer that used the image was called "NNN臨時放送"

Discussions about Jeff the Killer were further propelled by people making creepypasta stories about him, fictionalizing his life and crimes and adding to his lore. Furthermore, a user on "Newgrounds" took on the name Jeff the Killer and began to posture as Jeff to unknowing people on the internet. It was around this time that the phrase "Go to sleep" began to be associated with the creepy face.

How Is Jeff The Killer Remembered In Memes Today?

Jeff the Killer's legacy on the modern internet remains fonder than one might think. People exposed to the image when it first hit the popular internet now associate Jeff with old internet nostalgia, a phenomenon perhaps best studied through the form of modern memes referencing Jeff today.

For the full history of Jeff The Killer, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.