Anonymous Heroes Or Internet Heroes

Anonymous Hackers: Internet Heroes or Villains
We live in the time of the World Wide Web and it brings the biggest changes ever. The effects from this powerful invention, the Internet, has made the world flat and the opportunities huge. Every big change can have an affect on people, it could be positive or negative. In early 2002, researchers evaluated the presence and role of hackers and their role in technological innovations. “A decade ago, people in the tech field were angry that hackers had been labeled the dangerous villains who threatened national security” (Nissenbaum, 2015). This negative association contrasts with the beginning days of the 1970’s when hackers “were seen as ardent if quirky programmers, capable of near-miraculous,
Josh Harkinson wrote “Cyber bullies with a Cause” shows the stand that was taken by Anonymous that clearly breaks the stereotype about what this group does and why are they doing it. The story of Rehtaeh Persons’ rape and suicide, serve as a reminder that Anonymous took action on the side of fairness and justice when no one else would (Harkinson, 2013). When some of the members of the cyber activist group Anonymous take hear of the shameful acts of sexual violence that occurred against an innocent teenager, they refuse to ignore the fact that the police have done absolutely nothing. Anonymous used cyber tactics of “vigilante-style online activism” to force officials to respond appropriately and in accordance with the law (Harkinson, 2013). Some disagreed with this method of action. Others supported only the messengers and Anonymous should be credited for doing the job that law enforcement was unable to do; or unwilling. Organizing for justice is the spirit of democracy. Anonymous in this case, facilitated for justice to be served and a new way opened. These words below would never have been said, if Anonymous had not stood up for Retiah’s honor. “For four hours, women stood up, some clad in Fawkes masks, and shared their stories of abuse -- rapes at parties, date rapes, rapes by friends and
They argue that more intensive and harsh laws must be carried out against the groups that break the law and gain illegal access to the Internet (Goodwin, 2003). From their point of view, any criminal who can get their hands into a computer has the opportunity to hack any data in any country in the world represents more of a threat to security than the benefits their “activist” Internet protests and shut downs can bring. The criminals take advantage of the fact that there is very little the law can do to catch the hackers. Moreover, even if they can catch them, breaking the law has different punishments in different countries leaving the world. As a result, accounting and finance firms have so much more at risk that hackers, like Anonymous if they decided to, could damage in a major way. However, it is not acceptable for the acts of social justice by groups such as Anonymous, to be subject to the same policing and profiling, as those who are villains without an agenda for the