New York (AFP)

In the space of a few sessions, the WallStreetBets forum on the Reddit platform contributed to the surge in action by the GameStop group, sowing a wave of panic in the business community.

Its members are crazy about risky stock market bets that they equate to gambling.

WallStreetBets, WSB for insiders, has been in the US financial news since the end of last week for its crusade against Wall Street speculators who are banking on the downfall of companies at risk.

With its impressive army of stock marketers, nearly 5 million members Thursday, the forum is at the origin of the incredible rise in the title of video game stores GameStop that several large investment funds hope to see collapse.

The battlefield has spread to other listed companies, including the chain of cinemas AMC and venerable airline American Airlines, which netizens have vowed to support.

"The richest 1% earn hundreds of billions of dollars every year, even during the pandemic, while millions of Americans need unemployment benefits," sums up a WSB member who uses the pseudonym "Responsible-Height77 ".

"It's time to show that the masses have their say and that our voice counts," continues the 21-year-old student, who prefers to remain anonymous.

- Elon Musk, patron saint of trolls -

When Jaime Rogozinski founded WSB in 2012, he was far from anticipating such a strike force.

"I was looking for a community that wanted to know more about the art of investing in the stock market," he explains.

"I didn't have huge aspirations."

But the forum, which only had a few thousand subscribers when it started, has grown steadily, attracting hordes of young adrenaline-seeking investors.

The group has benefited from a boost in recent years with the democratization of online brokers, including the popular Robinhood app, which have eliminated commissions on transactions to buy or sell financial products.

The pandemic has strengthened the appetite of budding investors, confined to their homes and deprived for a time of online sports betting.

These "degenerates", as the predominantly male members of WSB call themselves, have developed an alternative culture, steeped in internet memes, references to the world of video games and, often, outrageous language.

The boss of Tesla Elon Musk, slayer of investors betting on the fall in stocks, is often celebrated there.

Wink to his admirers, the billionaire on Tuesday redirected some 43 million Twitter subscribers to the WallStreetBets page.

- Drifts -

As a corollary of its success, WSB has not been spared by excesses.

Jaime Rogozinski recounts that moderators posted racist and homophobic content last year in a private chat room.

Excluded from the group, these members turned to Reddit, accusing Mr. Rogozinski of exploiting the WallStreetBets brand for personal gain.

The latter was then deprived of his privileged access.

Mr. Rogozinski, who is no longer affiliated with the page, believes, however, that evil individuals are far from representing the entire community.

He even dares a comparison with the movement denouncing the excesses of capitalism, Occupy Wall Street, born almost a decade ago.

"Occupy Wall Street was protesting that the little people cannot participate in the stock market game. Now the little people have found a way to get around the system from within," he said.

- Robinhood in the crosshairs -

The extreme volatility of shares promoted by WSB members also raises questions about a possible manipulation of stock markets and the need for regulation.

Several brokerage platforms, including Robinhood, on Thursday restricted trading on GameStop and other companies, causing their shares to drop, much to the chagrin of Reddit users.

Some of them even called for a peaceful protest outside the Californian headquarters of Robinhood and that of the US stock market constable, the SEC, in Washington.

"Whatever happens, it's the end of Robinhood. Goodbye," wrote one WSB member, using the pseudonym "randomhardo."

Robinhood's decision also prompted a reaction from several US politicians, including New York Democrat MP Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who described it as "unacceptable" on Twitter.

"AOC" has found several unlikely allies, including Republican Senator from Texas Ted Cruz ... and the whimsical Elon Musk.

© 2021 AFP