Hacktivist Group ANONYMOUS Taking Things Too Far?

Today's society is controlled by our technologies whether they are accessed by mobile phones, computers, or tablets. What if the technologies that we use, that mainly rely on the Internet, suddenly were censored? This has been a disheartening question and topic that has been recently discussed throughout the past few months through the SOPA and PIPA acts. With the formation of these acts came massive uproar from many protestors and even more recently by hacktivists groups. The definition of a hacker is one who enters into an unauthorized computer database. Hackers have been around for years but not until recently have they ever made such a massive impact on society by creating cultures among themselves. The main group that has been found all over the controversial topic of censorship is known as "Anonymous." After looking deeper into the hacktivism culture I instantly found this aggressive hacktivist group, Anonymous, and was shocked, and still am shocked, that I had never heard of these protestors much less seen any of their messages. So for those who have been living under a rock with me, here is a brief trailer of what the Anonymous group has done and what they stand for. 

Anonymous is a group that is forming and growing through the world. They stand up and fight for the freedom of speech and the freedom to use the Internet without censorship. The group not only speaks and protests for what they believe in but acts upon their beliefs. Anonymous aggressively forces people to take notice in what some would say as illegal and questionable approaches.

Most recently, Anonymous ferociously put themselves on the world's radar after the shut down of the most popular file sharing website, MegaUpload. This take down of MegaUpload represented the government acting on copyright laws. It was the most publicized shut down and began  the censorship uproar. Anonymous' retaliation to the destruction of this file sharing website was what got them noticed in late January of this year. This revenge included successfully hacking into websites such as the Department of Justice, Motion Picture Association (MPAA), Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Universal Music Group, and many more. Not only has the hacktivist group shut down multiple websites and databases but they have also stolen hundreds of security information including credit card numbers. 

In December of 2011, Anonymous gathered credit card information from a global intelligence company, Stratfor, who supposedly failed to encrypt their client information. Along with credit card information was personal emails that were stolen, some even forged, and then published without consent. Anonymous used this personal information obtained to make numerous contributions to charities such as the American Red Cross, CARE, and Save the Children. The donations that were unwillingly donated summed up to be around $1 million. Anonymous has definitely made their opinions known and seems to be here to stay. 

The illegal act of hacking is extremely difficult for authorities to try and prevent considering the crime scene is in cyberspace and not a physical room one can just walk into. With technology, a thief can steal from someone without even being in the same geographical place. Theft is not a new crime but with the Internet it redefines the act. The re-creation involves a larger extent of reach of the theft, the degree of damage, the increased visibility the Internet provides, and the actual operation itself. Anonymous took every advantage that the Internet has to offer to create the most damage with an unlimited audience. 

The question revolving around hacktivism is where should the line be drawn and if there should even be a line. Did Anonymous go too far in attempt to be heard? Should there be censorship laws? 

Digital Cultures: Chapter 5- Video Gaming

Its unbelievable to look back at the history of video gaming. From the games that set the foundation for the gaming industry such as Pong and Pac-Man from Atari to the many Call of Duty games now offered on multiple consoles. Here is a corny rap video that goes through the stages of the gaming world from Atari to the Nintendo Wii. 

These games that were once connected to our televisions and restricted us to our homes if we wanted to play them, however it does not hold us back anymore. A lot of video games can now be accessed through multiple mobile devices such as cell phones, tablets, laptops, and portable gaming devices such as Nintendo DS and PSPs.  There seems to be no limitations to video games and with technology developing at unremarkable rates who knows where they may take us. These gaming consoles are not just for video games but have multiple uses and possibilities that are found within one device. I will leave you with one more video that visually shows you the endless possibilities of the Xbox Kinect. Who knows where these video consoles may lead us in the near future. How will these devices change our lifestyles in the years to come? I for one am very excited to see where technology leads the gaming industry and what other industries the video gaming world may dive into.

Chapter 14

In this chapter, Sherry Turckle finds a way to tap into teenager’s inner wishes and needs. It’s really sad that children now have to fight for their parent’s attention due to the distraction and constant need to feel connected elsewhere. Children, teenagers, and even young adults growing up in this crazy digital culture are secretly wanting attention from the people they need it from the most, their parents. At times, parents are physically present but not mentally with help from their cell phones and laptops, and this could be even more damaging than not being there at all. It comes across as more of a rejection when a child sees their mom or dad choosing to ignore them. One way parents rationalize being on their cell phones and computers is because their kids are constantly glued to them as well. In my opinion, its almost as if the parents have become the kids and have forgotten how to enjoy the life that is in presently in front of them.

A major reference in the chapter that I loved was the reference to Henry David Thoreau’s Walden poem. In the poem Thoreau leaves society and experiences nature and the beautiful world that surrounds him. People in today’s culture consider digital technology as our present day Walden. Kevin Kelly, a previous editor of Wired, describes the web as having boundaries that are, “unknown, unknowable, and is mysteriously uncountable.” The possibility of constantly being connected leads people to seek a bit of space. This bit of space, in Turckle’s eyes, “could leave room for a child to be a child a bit longer.” A major advantage and privilege of being a child is the fact that adults are somewhat a cushion and shield from the outside world. These joys of childhood are being gradually erased from children growing up in this digital culture because of these technological distractions from real life.

Reading Alone Together has made me thoroughly analyze how much time I, personally, spend on my cell phone and laptop. While reading this book I have already caught myself preferring to converse over a phone call and not through text messages. I have also become more aware of the amount of time I spend on social media and browsing the web. This was a very enjoyable, easy, and beneficial read not limited to any age group. 

Chapter 12

Why is it so attractive and addicting for people to put extremely personal confessions on the Internet? There are multiple websites for people to choose from when sharing these private revelations such as PostSecret, GroupHug, and even popular social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. All throughout this chapter Turckle discusses why people are sucked into this new obsession and what resolutions they get after partaking in this act. It’s as if, Turckle suggests, “online confessions are a new genre” of writing altogether. “Exaggeration might increase readership,” which implies that a lot of these online confessional sites are mainly for entertainment. Here are some interesting examples PostSecrets I found.

Some participants are seeking acceptance after getting their secrets out in the open. There is a sense of relief that users feel after getting things off their chest that they may have been too scared to express in face to face interactions with friends or family. This makes me question why people are drawn more towards interacting with strangers online about their darkest secrets versus their family and friends that they may physically see on a daily basis.  In my opinion people in society are too judgmental and opinionated to accept other people’s beliefs and values. In a world that is so diversely populated and filled with various religious beliefs we have to find ways to live peacefully with one another and respect each other’s views.

While technology is providing more ways to interact and communicate with more people it is crippling society in face-to-face human interaction. People don’t know how to handle confrontation anymore and resolve to dealing with difficult situations in text or email. There is no accountability when taking responsibility for an individual’s own actions. The Internet allows people who struggle with this to apologize or confess to something online but not to the person who might need to hear it. This lack of physical interaction among individuals takes away from relationships, as it is less personal when communicating through the Internet. Its almost as if these online confessions are a temporary emotional fix, allowing users to steer away from the true issue.

Online confessions I believe to be both positive and negative. It can be positive for those that are scared to admit something about themselves to family and friends but and can practice it on various Internet sites. It can give people a sense of security knowing that they are displaying anonymous posts where readers cannot trace it back to them.

I really liked how Turckle suggests forming more communities is somewhat a solution to encourage people to express their feelings in person to family and friends. She defines a community as a, “a place where one feels safe enough to take the good and the bad. In communities, others come through for us in hard times, so we are willing to hear what they have to say, even if we don’t like it.” In order to form these communities Turckle is describing, people need to trust others and feel as though they will not be judged. It is up to us to change society’s path it is currently on that will eventually do away with human interaction and replace it with online platforms for communication.