From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A **copypasta** is a block of text that is [copied and pasted](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cut,_copy,_and_paste) across the [Internet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet) by individuals through [online forums](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_forum) and [social networking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_networking) websites. Copypastas are said to be similar to [spam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spamming)[\[1\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#cite_note-Techopedia-1) as they are often used to annoy other users and disrupt online discourse.
## Contents
* [1History](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#History)
* [1.1Etymology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#Etymology)
* [2Notable examples](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#Notable_examples)
* [2.1Navy Seal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#Navy_Seal)
* [2.2*Bee Movie*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#Bee_Movie)
* [3See also](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#See_also)
* [4References](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#References)
## History[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Copypasta&action=edit§ion=1)]
The word "copypasta" was first used on [Usenet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usenet) groups in 2006.[\[2\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#cite_note-2)
### Etymology[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Copypasta&action=edit§ion=2)]
The term "copypasta" is derived from the computer term "copy/paste", and can be traced back to an anonymous [4chan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4chan) thread from 2006.[\[1\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#cite_note-Techopedia-1)[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#cite_note-CC-3)
## Notable examples[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Copypasta&action=edit§ion=3)]
### Navy Seal[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Copypasta&action=edit§ion=4)]
The [Navy Seal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navy_Seal) copypasta is a lengthy, comically written, aggressive attack paragraph against a "kiddo", written in the voice of the stereotypical "tough guy", listing absurd accomplishments such as having "over 300 confirmed kills" and being "trained in gorilla \[[*sic*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sic)\] warfare". This copypasta is often reposted as a humorous overreaction to an insult and is thought to have originated in a post on a 4chan message board from 11 November 2010.[\[4\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#cite_note-Navy_Seals-4)
This copypasta is infamously used in the manifesto of the perpetrator of the [Christchurch mosque shootings](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christchurch_mosque_shootings).[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#cite_note-5)
### Bee Movie[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Copypasta&action=edit§ion=5)]
*Main article:* [*Bee Movie § Cultural influence*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_Movie#Cultural_influence)
The [*Bee Movie*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_Movie) copypasta dates back to 2013 where users would post the entire script of the *Bee Movie* onto websites such as [Reddit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reddit) and [Tumblr](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumblr).[\[6\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#cite_note-6) This was popularised around the time when edits of the film were first being posted and popularized on [YouTube](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube) in late 2016.[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#cite_note-7)
## See also[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Copypasta&action=edit§ion=6)]
📷Look up [***copypasta***](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Special:Search/copypasta) in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
* [Creepypasta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creepypasta), brief, user-generated, paranormal stories intended to scare readers
* [Faxlore](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faxlore), similar content circulated by fax machine
* [Know Your Meme](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Know_Your_Meme), a website and video series which researches and documents the history of Copypastas and similar content
* [Running gag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_gag), a recurring joke
* [Snowclone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowclone), a cliché and phrasal template that can be used and recognized in multiple variants
* [Shitposting](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shitposting), the practice of posting intentionally low-quality or provocative content to troll or solicit reactions from others
## References[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Copypasta&action=edit§ion=7)]
1. \^ [Jump up to:***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#cite_ref-Techopedia_1-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#cite_ref-Techopedia_1-1) ["What is Copypasta? - Definition from Techopedia"](https://www.techopedia.com/definition/31470/copypasta). *Techopedia.com*. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
2. [**\^**](
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#cite_ref-2) ["Words We're Watching: 'Copypasta'"](https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/words-were-watching-copypasta). [*Merriam-Webster*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merriam-Webster). Retrieved 30 December 2018.
3. [**\^**](
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#cite_ref-CC_3-0) Jaquez, Sophia (12 December 2018). ["My Favorite CopyPastas"](https://countycurrent.com/2018/12/12/my-favorite-copypastas/). *The County Current*. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
4. [**\^**](
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#cite_ref-Navy_Seals_4-0) ["What Does Navy Seal copypasta Mean?"](https://web.archive.org/web/20181026053421/https://www.dictionary.com/e/memes/navy-seal-copypasta/). *Dictionary.com*. Archived from [the original](https://www.dictionary.com/e/memes/navy-seal-copypasta/) on 26 October 2018.
5. [**\^**](
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#cite_ref-5) ["The Honk Pill Troll Killer: Brenton Tarrant's Motives May Never be Known – if We're Not Careful"](https://www.rightminds.nz/articles/the-honk-pill-troll-killer-brenton-tarrants-motives-may-never-be-known-if-were-not-careful). 28 March 2019.
6. [**\^**](
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#cite_ref-6) Bergado, Gabe. ["How Barry B. Benson Became an Internet A-Lister"](https://www.inverse.com/article/25329-bee-movie-memes-explained-script-youtube-videos). *Inverse*. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
7. [**\^**](
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copypasta#cite_ref-7) ["The Best Prank on Facebook Right Now Involves the Entire Transcript of Bee Movie"](http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2015/12/why-do-people-post-the-bee-movie-script.html). *Intelligencer*. 2 December 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2018.