The issues surrounding the notorious hactivist group Anonymous tend to be controversial and it is often debated, whether their actions are justifiable or contemptible. The supporters of the group persistently claim that the group is the biggest fighter for democracy and their protests are the best way to achieve justice, when public officials fail to do so, in a non-violent way. On the other hand, people, who are not so fond of the collective, tend to point out, that these protests cause more harm than good. Many times the group interferes with various international affairs, but the question is: are they doing, what the people of the country really want themselves, or are they trying to enforce a single ideology that they decide is the best? According to Georgi Ivanov, “Anonymous have become a force in cyberpolitics“, which is a valid definition, as what they do does not vary much from politics, only it does not work on a diplomatic basis, but a basis of threat and often raises a question, whether their actions should be considered lawful.
The group targets any organization, government, or church, where it discovers, that democratic and liberal principles have been violated. Some of the biggest targets have been the Westboro Baptist Church and the Church of Scientology. The former is well known for the spread of hateful messages, while the latter, they claim, has bullied its opposers and former members, who turned their backs on them. Anonymous brought down both of the organizations’ web pages to demonstrate their disagreement. Other major operations involved hacking governmental websites of Uganda, as they opposed the intolerant treatment of lesbians and gays in the country; Israel, because they believed, that people of Palestine and Gaza need protection from Israel’s territorial ambitions; and North Korea after it made threats of nuclear war to South Korea, Japan and the USA.
However, people opposing the Anonymous raise legitimate arguments to how their actions could backfire. One of these arguments is, that because part of many operation is the release of personal data of government officials, criminals but also innocent citizens, who just happen to be collateral damage, it could put their lives at risk. It happened in the past, for example in the case of Amanda Todd, a cyberbullied schoolgirl, that Anonymous accused the wrong person, who then received numerous hateful messages. Also, because Anonymous usually gives ultimatums to their targets, which are often unrealistic, there is no space for any negotiations before they attack multiple websites, which can cause great damage. Lastly, often articles appear in the press, where it is reported, that Anonymous does not cause as much trouble, as they claim and take false credit for their actions, while these actions encourage crowds to trust the group.
Whether the cyberattacks of the group end up being successful, or not, it is a fact that by pointing out issues in our society, the Anonymous raises awareness about many serious problems. The media, just like the public, seems to give contradictory opinions on the group, however, it is necessary to keep critical in spite of the beautified and magnificent goals that are presented to us by the members of Anonymous.
Sources:
Armstrong, Michael. "8 Things That Anonymous, The Hacker 'Terrorist' Group, Has Done For Good | Strong Blogs." Web log post. Strong Blogs. N.p., 30 Apr. 2013. Web. 11 May 2013. <http://strongblogs.com/8-things-that-anonymous-the-hacker-terrorist-group-has-done-for-good/>.
Ivanov, Georgi. "What Is Anonymous? Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Shadowy Internet Group." PolicyMic. N.p., Feb. 2013. Web. 11 May 2013. <http://www.policymic.com/articles/23922/anonymous-everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-the-shadowy-internet-group>
"Anonymous: The Secret Group's 5 Biggest Hacks." The Week. The Week, 7 Mar. 2011. Web. 11 May 2013. <http://theweek.com/article/index/212846/anonymous-the-secret-groups-5-biggest-hacks>.
Estes, Adam Clark. "Anonymous Hits Israel with a Massive Cyber Attack, Israel Attacks Back." Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 08 Apr. 2013. Web. 11 May 2013. <http://news.yahoo.com/anonymous-hits-israel-massive-cyber-attack-israel-attacks-005659174.html>.
I absolutely loved this essay of yours. The arguments are well structured, balanced and objective. You addressed the issue from both sides, which is great, as it provides everyone with essential fresh perspective on the topic. I am stressing this, as I myself tended to always justify Anonymous's actions. Let's face it - they are favorable by many, especially the young people. However, it is important to see the opposing arguments before jumping into premature conclusions as to what amazing fighters against the establishment we have among us. I am still inclined to see the group positively, however. For I have seen their conversations with the leaders of the Westboro church and I believe that such people should definitely be facing more of the overall public disagreement. Anonymous serve as a powerful means for just that purpose and what they have done also regarding the international legislations such as ACTA should be highlighted as well (but then again, it depends on individual perspective).
OdpovedaťOdstrániťIn any way, I really enjoyed your blog. It is very interesting and impressive how objectively you managed to depict the issue, while keeping all posts engaging enough for the reader to enjoy the content. It was a lot of fun to read. Thanks!
(Daniela Slezáková)