Edward Murrow
19 Dec 2022
Behind the Organisation known as 'Anonymous'
Anonymous is a loosely organized international network of hackers and activists that have been involved in a variety of online protests, prank calls, and cyberattacks. The group has become infamous for its activities, which have targeted high-profile organizations such as the Church of Scientology and the Westboro Baptist Church. The group was formed in 2003, but its true origin is still unknown.
The name “Anonymous” comes from the fact that participants in the network are often referred to as “anonymous” or “anon” and never use their real names. The group has no official leader or hierarchy and its members communicate via Internet Relay Chat (IRC). Anonymous is a decentralized network of hacktivists, or hackers that use their skills to advance political causes.
The group has been involved in a number of controversial operations, most notably those that seek to expose organizations or individuals engaged in unethical activities. The group has been linked to 'hacktivism' and has used Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks to shut down websites belonging to organizations such as the Church of Scientology and the Westboro Baptist Church.
The group has also been involved in political activism, most notably during the Arab Spring in 2011 when they launched a series of cyberattacks against government websites in the Middle East. During the same period, Anonymous also targeted the music industry for its aggressive pursuit of copyright protection.
The group has been active in a variety of global causes, such as the Occupy Movement, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the campaign for an independent Catalonia. Most recently, Anonymous launched a coordinated DDoS attack against the Turkish government in response to the arrest of prominent journalists and the creation of a new Turkish intelligence agency. Anonymous is characterized by its commitment to anonymity, the use of creative and often humorous tactics, and a disregard for legal norms.
The group is highly decentralized, making it difficult to trace the origins or leaders of any given operation. However, the group has been known to align itself with certain causes, such as the defense of free speech and the promotion of human rights.
Despite its notoriety, Anonymous is not a criminal organization. In fact, the group has stated that their activities are intended to bring attention to issues such as censorship, freedom of speech, and corruption.
Whether this is a noble goal or not is up for debate, but one thing is certain - Anonymous has made its mark on the world.