My favorite podcast, and one that I listen to regularly, is Stuff You Should Know. I really enjoy how they can talk about anything and everything and make it into an interesting podcast. If you are naturally curious and love learning new things, this is the podcast for you! Recently I listened to an episode on "Anonymous", the famous hacktivist group. It's a topic that is shrouded in mystery, so I was eager to learn more about the organization from the always-entertaining Josh and Chuck.
I really didn't know much about Anonymous prior to listening to the podcast (I actually assumed it was one person). The only things I knew about them was what I received from major news outlets, so I was mostly looking forward to learning more about what they were and how they operated. The podcast helped to unveil some of the mystery, but by their very nature they will likely always remain an enigma.
Anonymous is a group of "hacktivists" that are banded together into a fluid, loose organization. They often use Guy Fawkes masks to disguise their identities in photos and videos, and it has become a symbol of their organization. Members of the organization often work together to carry out "operations" against people or organizations who have carried out what Anonymous believes to be immoral or illegal activities. When talking about an organization as loosely based as Anonymous, it's impossible to exactly detail their beliefs, but opposing internet censorship and control seems to be near the top of their list. Other beliefs may include: exposing illegal activities by established organizations, corruption, child pornography, and groups such as the Westboro Baptist Church.
Members of Anonymous who band together for a cause will work together to figure out who to attack, plan out how to attack them, and carry out the attack. Attacks often involve bringing down an organization's website, disrupting their normal flow of business. They may also work to collect protected data and expose it to the public in an effort to expose immoral or illegal behavior. The activities of Anonymous members themselves are generally illegal, and dozens of members have been arrested for their part in various cyber attacks.
It's really difficult to take a clear position on the activities of Anonymous. For the most part, they are doing something that would be considered "morally right" and are putting an end to someone or something's wrongdoing. On the other hand, the cyber attacks they partake in are illegal (even though some of the same tactics are used by the federal government). Many of the operations they partake in hover in the gray area between right and wrong, and it's unlikely that you either completely agree or completely disagree with all of their activities. More than likely you would agree with some of their activities, but may think they are overstepping their moral obligations with others. One operation that most people would support is with their recent declaration to hunt down members if ISIS as shown in this video.
One interesting takeaway I got from learning about Anonymous is that, when looked at from a macro level, they are acting as a form of checks and balances against the powers that be. I believe that as long as Anonymous is active, they can work effectively to keep governments in check and expose corruption and abuse of power not only in developed nations, but in developing countries as well. Overall they are working to make the world a better place, but whether or not you agree with their tactics most likely lies in how much you believe that the ends justify the means.
If you'd like to learn more about Anonymous, you can check out the podcast on the Stuff You Should Know website. You can also follow them on Twitter, but perhaps the best place to get first hand knowledge is from their official Youtube channel.
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