Anonymous (group)

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A satirical motivational poster representative of Anonymous.
A satirical motivational poster representative of Anonymous.

The self-styled Anonymous (used as a mass noun) is a label and internet meme adopted within internet culture to represent the actions of internet users acting anonymously toward a given agenda. In this sense, Anonymous is "all of us, yet none of us". The term is used in phrases such as "We are Anonymous. We do not forgive. We do not forget".

More recently in 2008, specific actions were undertaken by specific group, groups, or organizations, also self-named as "Anonymous", and often associated with websites and chat systems on the internet. The general public's introduction to the group began with Project Chanology, a protest against the Church of Scientology. The most visible element of the protest was mass protests of many Church sites worldwide, the first being held on February 10, 2008.[1] Anonymous, as a protest group, lacks a visible hierarchical structure or leaders, instead relying on individuals to contribute to the group on their own.[2]

Contents

Etymology

The name "Anonymous" itself is taken from the anonymity under which users post images and comments on the internet, as well as from various web forums, where "Anonymous" is the default name assigned to visitors who leave comments without self-identifying. It is generally considered as a blanket term – not tied to any monolithic group – for the vox populi or members of the Internet culture.[3]

Anonymous as a concept and meme

As a mass noun and internet meme, Anonymous broadly represents the concept of any and all people as an unnamed collective. Definitions tend to emphasize the fact that the term cannot be readily encompassed by a simple definition, and instead it is often defined by aphorisms describing perceived qualities. The Baltimore City paper on the "Anonymous" protests included the following description of "Anonymous" : "[Anonymous is] the first internet-based superconsciousness. Anonymous is a group, in the sense that a flock of birds is a group. How do you know they're a group? Because they're travelling in the same direction. At any given moment, more birds could join, leave, peel off in another direction entirely."[4]

Internet activities

It is important to note that the distinction between this section, and the above, is of necessity somewhat blurred. It is not always clear - nor perhaps always accurate or meaningful - to attempt to formally classify activities as being "anonymous internet users generally" and "anonymous internet users in a specific group or groups". The activities in this section were attributed to "Anonymous" by their perpetrators or in the media.

Composition

"Anonymous", in the sense of the unnamed protestors and activists in various incidents, is composed of users of multiple imageboards, who maintain several wikis and Internet Relay Chat networks to overcome the limitations of imageboards. [5][6] A "loose coalition of Internet denizens",[7] the group is "banded together" by the Internet, through sites such as 4chan, Encyclopedia Dramatica[8] Slashdot, and YouTube.[3] Social networking services, such as Facebook, are used for the creation of groups which reach out to people to mobilize in real-world protests.[9] Anonymous has no leader or controlling party, and relies on the collective power of its individual members acting in such a way that the net effect benefits the group.[7]

"Anyone who wants to can be Anonymous and work toward a set of goals. . . . We have this agenda that we all agree on and we all coordinate and act, but all act independently toward it, without any want for recognition. We just want to get something that we feel is important done..." [4]

KTTV Fox 11 news report

On July 26, 2007, KTTV Fox 11 News based in Los Angeles, California aired a report on Anonymous, calling them a group of "hackers on steroids", "domestic terrorists", and collectively an "Internet hate machine". The report covered an attack on a MySpace user, who claimed to have had his MySpace account "hacked" into by Anonymous, and plastered with images of gay pornography. The MySpace user also claimed a virus written by Anonymous hackers was sent to him and to ninety friends on his MySpace contact list, crashing thirty-two of his friends' computers. The report featured an unnamed former "hacker" who had fallen out with Anonymous and explained his view of the Anonymous culture. In addition, the report also mentioned "raids" on Habbo, a "national campaign to spoil the new Harry Potter book ending", and threats to "bomb sports stadiums". Ironically, the news report became a meme on most of the chan boards, inspiring mass mockery, notably the stock footage of an exploding van and the suggestion that buying a dog and curtains could protect victims from Anonymous. This report also sparked "Anonymous" to be a more often used term for users of various imageboards "connected" to each other. Although previously, Anonymous came from imageboards like 4chan and its spin-off 7chan wherein its default alias for a user posting a thread or post would be "Anonymous". [10]

The following day, Wired News blogger and journalist Ryan Singel derided the Fox report, stating that the "hacker group" in fact consisted of "supremely bored 15-year olds", and that the news report was "by far the funniest prank anyone on the board has ever pulled off".[11] In February 2008, an Australia-based Today Tonight broadcast included a segment of the Fox report, preceded by the statement: "The Church of Scientology has ramped up the offensive against Anonymous, accusing the group of religious bigotry and claiming they are sick, twisted souls."[12]

Arrest of Chris Forcand

On December 7, 2007, the Canada-based Toronto Sun newspaper published a report on the arrest of the alleged Internet predator Chris Forcand. Forcand, 53, was charged with two counts of luring a child under the age of 14, attempt to invite sexual touching, attempt exposure, possessing a dangerous weapon, and carrying a concealed weapon.[13] The report stated that Forcand was already being tracked by "cyber-vigilantes who seek to out anyone who presents with a sexual interest in children" before police investigations commenced.[14] A Global News report identified the group responsible for Forcand's arrest as a "self-described Internet vigilant group called Anonymous" who contacted the police after some members were "propositioned" by Forcand with "disgusting photos of himself". The report also stated that this is the first time a suspected Internet predator was arrested by the police as a result of Internet vigilantism.[15]

Assault on epilepsy support forum

On March 28, 2008, Wired News reported that "Internet griefers" – a makeshift term for people who cause grief[16] – assaulted an epilepsy support forum run by the Epilepsy Foundation of America.[17] JavaScript code and flashing computer animations were posted with the intention of triggering migraine headaches and seizures in photosensitive and pattern-sensitive epileptics.[17] According to Wired News, circumstantial evidence suggested that the attack was perpetrated by members of Anonymous, with the initial attack posts on the epilepsy forum blaming eBaum's World. Members of the epilepsy forum claimed they had found a thread in which the attack was being planned at 7chan.org, an imageboard that has been described as an Anonymous "stronghold". The thread has since been deleted.[17]

RealTechNews reported that the forum at the United Kingdom–based National Society for Epilepsy was also subjected to an identical attack. It stated that "apparent members of Anonymous" had denied responsibility for both attacks and posited that it had been the Church of Scientology who carried them out.[18] News.com.au reported that the administrators of anonymous websites had posted an open letter claiming that the attacks had been carried out by the Church of Scientology "to ruin the public opinion of Anonymous, to lessen the effect of their lawful protests against their virulent organization" under the Church's fair game policy.[16]

The Tech Herald reported that when the attack began, posts referenced multiple groups, including Anonymous. The report attributes the attack to a group named "The Internet Hate Machine", who claim to be part of Anonymous, but are not the same faction that are involved in the campaign against Scientology. "The Internet Hate Machine" was quoted posting, "The response from the Church of Scientology Protesters regarding the epilepsy raid cracked me up to no end." Other factions claiming to be from Anonymous condemned the attack, denied being connected with "The Internet Hate Machine," and claimed that the Project Chanology campaign page had been defaced by the same people.[19]

Some members of Anonymous have suggested that the perpetrators were merely internet users who remained literally anonymous, and thus had no affiliation with the web group known as Anonymous.[19]

Project Chanology

Main article: Project Chanology
See also: Scientology and the Internet
Protest by Anonymous against the practices and tax status of the Church of Scientology.
Protest by Anonymous against the practices and tax status of the Church of Scientology.

The group gained worldwide press for Project Chanology, the protest against the Church of Scientology.[20]

On January 14, 2008, a video produced by the Church of Scientology featuring an interview with Tom Cruise was leaked to the Internet and uploaded to YouTube.[21][22][23] The Church of Scientology issued a copyright violation claim against YouTube requesting the removal of the video.[24] In response to this, Anonymous formulated Project Chanology.[5][25][26][27] Calling the action by the Church of Scientology a form of Internet censorship, members of Project Chanology organized a series of denial-of-service attacks against Scientology websites, prank calls, and black faxes to Scientology centers.[28]

On January 21, 2008, Anonymous announced its goals and intentions via a video posted to YouTube entitled "Message to Scientology", and a press release declaring a "War on Scientology" against both the Church of Scientology and the Religious Technology Center.[27][29][30] In the press release, the group states that the attacks against the Church of Scientology will continue in order to protect the right to freedom of speech, and end what they believe to be the financial exploitation of church members.[31] A new video "Call to Action" appeared on YouTube on January 28, 2008, calling for protests outside Church of Scientology centers on February 10, 2008.[32][33] On February 2, 2008, 150 people gathered outside of a Church of Scientology center in Orlando, Florida to protest the organization's practices.[34][35][36][37] Small protests were also held in Santa Barbara, California,[38] and Manchester, England.[39][35] On February 10, 2008, about 7,000 people protested in more than 93 cities worldwide.[40][41] Many protesters wore masks based on the character V from V for Vendetta (who in turn was influenced by Guy Fawkes), or otherwise disguised their identities, in part to protect themselves from reprisals from the Church of Scientology.[2][42]

Anonymous held a second wave of protests on March 15, 2008 in cities all over the world, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Vancouver, Toronto, Berlin, and Dublin. The global turnout was estimated to be between 7,000 and 8,000.[43] The third wave of the protests took place on April 12, 2008.[44][45] Named "Operation Reconnect", it aimed to increase awareness of the Church of Scientology's disconnection policy.[21]

See also

Internet Portal
Project Chanology

References

  1. ^ Sarno, David. "'Anonymous' takes anti-Scientology to the streets", Los Angeles Times: Web Scout, 2008-02-10. Retrieved on 2008-02-11. 
  2. ^ a b Harrison, James (The State News). "Scientology protestors take action around world", February 12, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-02-14. 
  3. ^ a b Jessica Parral and James Clark. "Internet Group Takes Action Against Scientology", City on a Hill Press (student newspaper), University of California, Santa Cruz, 2008-02-21. Retrieved on 2008-02-21. 
  4. ^ a b [http://www.citypaper.com/columns/story.asp?id=15543 Baltimore City Paper 4/2/2008 Feature, "Serious Business: Anonymous Takes On Scientology (and Doesn't Afraid of Anything)"'
  5. ^ a b George-Cosh, David. "Online group declares war on Scientology", National Post, Canwest Publishing Inc., 2008-01-25. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  6. ^ Ryan Singel. "War Breaks Out Between Hackers and Scientology -- There Can Be Only One", Wired News, CondéNet, Inc., 2008-01-23. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  7. ^ a b Websites such as 4chan state that only adults over the age of 18 should view their content, but as there is no way to make sure that younger children do not view the websites, many "Anons" are underage. James Harrison. "Scientology protestors take action around world", The State News (student newspaper), Michigan State University, 2008-02-12. Retrieved on 2008-02-25. 
  8. ^ Davies, Shaun (2008-05-08). Critics point finger at satirical website. National Nine News.
  9. ^ Dahdah, Howard. "'Anonymous' group declares online war on Scientology", Computerworld: The Voice of IT Management, IDG Communications, February 8, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. 
  10. ^ Phil Shuman (investigative reporter). "FOX 11 Investigates: 'Anonymous'", MyFOX Los Angeles, KTTV (FOX), 2007-07-26. Retrieved on 2007-08-11. 
  11. ^ Ryan Singel. "Investigative Report Reveals Hackers Terrorize the Internet for LULZ", Wired News, CondéNet, Inc., 2007-07-27. Retrieved on 2008-02-23. 
  12. ^ Bryan Seymour (reporter). "Anonymous takes Scientology war to streets" (newscast), Today Tonight, Seven Network, 2008-02-11. Retrieved on 2008-02-20. 
  13. ^ Constable George Schuurman, Public Information, for Detective Constable Janelle Blackadar, Sex Crimes Unit. "Man facing six charges in Child Exploitation investigation, Photograph released, Chris Forcand, 53" (PDF), News Release, Toronto Police Service, 2007-12-06. Retrieved on 2008-02-25. 
  14. ^ Jonathan Jenkins. "Man trolled the web for girls: cops", CANOE, Toronto Sun, 2007-12-07. Retrieved on 2008-02-19. 
  15. ^ Gus Kim (reporter). "Internet Justice?", Global News, CanWest Global Communications, 2007-12-08. Retrieved on 2008-02-19. 
  16. ^ a b Andrew Ramadge. "Anonymous attack targets epilepsy sufferers", News.com.au, News Corporation, 2008-04-01. Retrieved on 2008-04-01. 
  17. ^ a b c Kevin Poulsen. "Hackers Assault Epilepsy Patients via Computer", Wired News, Condé Nast Publications, 2008-03-28. Retrieved on 2008-04-01. 
  18. ^ Michael Santo. "Hackers Attack Epilepsy Forum; Cause Headaches, Seizures", RealTechNews, Underground Networks, 2008-03-29. Retrieved on 2008-04-01. 
  19. ^ a b Steve Ragan (2008-03-31). Targeted physical attack takes aim at Epilepsy. The Tech Herald. Retrieved on 2008-04-02.
  20. ^ Richards, Johnathan (The Times). "Hackers Declare War on Scientology: A shadowy Internet group has succeeded in taking down a Scientology Web site after effectively declaring war on the church and calling for it to be destroyed.", FOX News, FOX News Network, LLC., January 25, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  21. ^ a b John Cook. "Scientology - Cult Friction", Radar Online, Radar Magazine, March 17, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-03-18. 
  22. ^ Warne, Dan. "Anonymous threatens to "dismantle" Church of Scientology via internet", APC Magazine, National Nine News, January 24, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  23. ^ KNBC Staff. "Hacker Group Declares War On Scientology: Group Upset Over Church's Handling Of Tom Cruise Video", KNBC, January 24, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  24. ^ Vamosi, Robert. "Anonymous hackers take on the Church of Scientology", CNET News, CNET Networks, Inc., January 24, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  25. ^ Singel, Ryan. "War Breaks Out Between Hackers and Scientology -- There Can Be Only One", Wired, CondéNet, Inc., January 23, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  26. ^ Feran, Tom. "Where to find the Tom Cruise Scientology videos online, if they're still posted", The Plain Dealer, Newhouse Newspapers, January 24, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  27. ^ a b Chan Enterprises. "Internet Group Declares "War on Scientology": Anonymous are fighting the Church of Scientology and the Religious Technology Center", Press Release, PRLog.Org, January 21, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  28. ^ Matthew A. Schroettnig, Stefanie Herrington, Lauren E. Trent. "Anonymous Versus Scientology: Cyber Criminals or Vigilante Justice?", The Legality, 2008-02-06. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  29. ^ Thomas, Nicki. "Scientology and the internet: Internet hackers attack the church", Edmonton Sun, Sun Media, January 25, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  30. ^ Dodd, Gareth (Editor); Agencies. "Anonymous hackers vow to "dismantle" Scientology", Xinhua News Agency, January 25, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  31. ^ Brandon, Mikhail. "Scientology in the Crosshairs", The Emory Wheel, Emory University, January 28, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-31. 
  32. ^ Feran, Tom. "The group Anonymous calls for protests outside Scientology centers - New on the Net", The Plain Dealer, Newhouse Newspapers, January 31, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-02-04. 
  33. ^ Vamosi, Robert. "Anonymous names February 10 as its day of action against Scientology", CNET News, CNET Networks, Inc., January 28, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-28. 
  34. ^ Braiker, Brian. "The Passion of ‘Anonymous’: A shadowy, loose-knit consortium of activists and hackers called 'Anonymous' is just the latest thorn in Scientology's side", Newsweek, Newsweek, Inc., February 8, 2008, pp. Technology: Newsweek Web Exclusive. Retrieved on 2008-02-09. 
  35. ^ a b Barkham, Patrick. "Hackers declare war on Scientologists amid claims of heavy-handed Cruise control", The Guardian, Guardian News and Media Limited, February 4, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-02-03. 
  36. ^ Staff. "Group Lines Road To Protest Church Of Scientology", WKMG-TV, Internet Broadcasting Systems and Local6.com, February 3, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-02-03. 
  37. ^ Eckinger, Helen; Gabrielle Finley, Katherine Norris. "Anti-Scientology group has protest rally", Orlando Sentinel, February 3, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-02-03. 
  38. ^ Standifer, Tom. "Masked Demonstrators Protest Against Church of Scientology", Daily Nexus, University of California, Santa Barbara, February 4, 2008, pp. Issue 69, Volume 88. Retrieved on 2008-02-04. 
  39. ^ Eber, Hailey. "Anti-Scientologists Warm Up for February 10", Radar Online, Radar Magazine, February 4, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-02-04. 
  40. ^ Carlos Moncada. "Organizers Tout Scientology Protest, Plan Another", TBO.com, 2008-02-12. Retrieved on 2008-02-13. 
  41. ^ Andrew Ramadge. "Scientology protest surge crashes websites", News.com.au, News Limited, 2008-02-14. Retrieved on 2008-02-14. 
  42. ^ Forrester, John. "Dozens of masked protesters blast Scientology church", The Boston Globe, 2008-02-11. Retrieved on 2008-02-15. 
  43. ^ Andrew Ramadge. "Second round of Anonymous v Scientology", News.com.au, News Limited, 2008-03-17. Retrieved on 2008-03-17. 
  44. ^ Davies, Shaun. "Scientology strikes back in information war", National Nine News, March 20, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-03-20. 
  45. ^ Andrew Ramadge. "Scientology site gets a facelift after protests", News.com.au, News Limited, 2008-03-20. Retrieved on 2008-03-20. 

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