Voat was launched in 2014 as an alternative to Reddit, emphasizing absolute freedom of speech and minimal moderation. It gained significant notoriety during events like 'The Fappening' and 'Gamergate' when Reddit began banning various subreddits, leading to mass migrations of users to the platform. In internet meme culture, Voat is often depicted as a digital lifeboat or a wild frontier where anything goes, frequently symbolized by its goat-themed mascot. While the site eventually shut down in late 2020 due to funding issues, it remains a historical symbol of the tension between platform moderation and decentralization, serving as a template for discussions about online censorship and the 'Reddit refugee' phenomenon.