The phrase 'I'm Twelve Years Old and What is This?' is a legendary internet catchphrase that originated on 4chan's /b/ board around 2006. Initially, it was used to mock 'newfags' or younger users who expressed genuine shock or disgust toward the board's often graphic and disturbing content. The meme relies on the irony of a child wandering into the internet's darkest corners, and it quickly became the go-to response for anything confusing, bizarre, or unintentionally cringey. While it began as a way to gatekeep or troll, it has since evolved into a generalized reaction used to signify that someone has encountered something so strange it defies explanation.