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Watch: Hacker group Anonymous says it'll shut down Facebook on November 5th
By Danielle GibsonAugust 9th, 2011, 1:40 pmComments (33)
Better get your poking and lyrical status updates in now. Anonymous, fresh off of hacking the Syrian Ministry of Defense's website, have announced their plan to take down Facebook, citing the way the social network has dealt with privacy issues and selling of personal information as the main problem. The takedown is said to happen November 5th, a very important date for Guy Fawkes wannabes.
"Facebook knows more about you than your family", the voice in the video claims. And that's probably pretty accurate. But, the real question is, what would actually happen if the site crashed?
It would start with the usual mass chaos and hysteria, sure, but after that initial shock, would a Facebook-less existence really be that bad? I imagine life would truly begin. It would be like that second season episode of The Simpsons where the kids aren't allowed to watch Itchy and Scratchy anymore, so they have to go outside and discover how to play and interact with.. you know... each other. It could be like that; everyone would be free at last from the shackles of internet identities! Or they'll just use Twitter more, I don't know.
Anyway, it almost certainly won't happen. While the Anonymous crew was having its weekly screening of V for Vendetta this weekend, I re-watched The Social Network. And I have to say, in a battle of nerds, no hacker group — no matter how big and omnipresent — can possibly stack up to Mark Zuckerberg's nerd rage.
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Commentarium (33 Comments)
This is sooooooooo nerdish........seriously, knock it off......
So let me get this straight, if I can. A group of hackers, who think they are all powerful and privileged, because they can illegally gain access to other people's computers and personal information, are going after a website ran by a guy who thinks he's all powerful and privileged because he legally gets access to people's computers and personal information? Isn't the hackers calling Facebook terrible for privacy, a bit like the pot calling the kettle black?
Okay, I'll try to explain the difference, but I'm afraid I won't be that eloquent about it.
When a corporation like facebook gains information through questionably legal means, their goals in attaining this information, and end-game use of it, are up for question. They may very well sell it to information-gathering agencies, advertising and otherwise. An anonymous collective gaining access to such information will almost definitely not use it for jack shit. They are not looking to make a profit through this, but encourage people to be more thoughtful about just how insecure their online information is under facebook's care.
I'm not saying you can't question the efficacy of this plans in achieving their goals, but comparing a profit-making corporation whose industry is vending your private information to a group of hackers making a statement is a bit flawed.
I don't know, I see what you're saying, but I don't think there is too much of difference. While I would agree that maybe some of the hacking groups want to bring attention to the idea of online privacy, I'm not sure I buy any argument that states that groups of anonymous hackers don't hack into systems to get hold of private information as a means to make money. Hackers all the time are being employed by major corporations to spy on consumers habits. It's just not widely reported on. And most hackers know of ways to make themselves almost, if not completely invisible, so there isn't as much outrage. I mean how could there be, if you didn't know you were being hacked, right?
In the end to me it seems more comparable to say that both facebook and the hackers have the same sense of entitlement to personal information. It's just as you said one uses semi-legal methods to get a hold of it, facebook. My question though is how do hackers get their access to personal information? Usually and almost exclusively through illegal means. I guess I just have a hard time sympathizing with hackers, even ones who say they are doing things in the name of the greater good.
Anonymous is an accumulation of random kids that met through a popular image board, not a group of professionals employed by a major corporation -- I can say that in full confidence. And it isn't in their interest to be invisible, because they aren't harvesting data, they're making a statement.
And I would say that they feel a sense of entitlement to the PRIVACY of personal information on the internet. That's what this is all about. They expose security flaws and attack facebook because they present risks to the privacy of personal information on the internet. There is no attempt to hold on to the information to turn a profit -- it's put out there, so any value it would have held is nearly eliminated (thus it is hard to imagine any individual kid is making a profit off of it). I would say that they both feel a sense of entitlement (Zuckerberg and Anon) in that they feel as if the internet ought to conform to their will, and that the rules of the internet are a lot more fast and loose than the rules of the real world. Neither of which are entirely logical or fair. But to imply that this is a profit making enterprise in the same vein of facebook is to confuse the issue. These aren't the people that are conning sweet grandmas out of money, or stealing identities on the internet -- not all "hackers" are cut of the same cloth.
Now this is what I'm talking about. Standing up for anonymity and privacy on the internet? That's Anon's bread and butter.
You're an idiot. They're just having a pissing match and it will unnecessarily affect millions of people. Possibly.
It's not life support, guy, it's facebook. But it's definitely just a silly pissing match--that's what makes it fun to watch!
shut it down forever? or just for a day? i'd be sad to see so many memories go like that.
RutRo Shaggy - the internet may never recover.
Time to back up all the photos on facebook :)
you talking about me? :)
Well, I'm assuming Syria's Ministry of Defense WEBSITE is no big deal compared to hacking Facebook...
Haha the anon are more powerful than most people give them credit for. It's not just some hackers.... it's a TON of GOOD hackers. Facebook is already selling your information and hacking it's way into your life, they are doing you a service.
DDOSing isn't hacking. At worst, they might temporarily restrict service in areas with minimal servers.
Row row fight the power.
I so want them to succeed.
Just so I won't have to see all those idiotic V for Vendetta quotes from people who know next to nothing about the actual Gunpowder Plot *or* the comic book plastered all over my newsfeed.
Or you could just stop using facebook.
Anonymous: "Weh, weh, weh! I want attention! ME! My views are better than yours so everyone who doesn't agree with me will pay! ME! Give me attention! ME!"
It is amazing how well you can touch type with your head up your ass. I applaud you, anonymous internet jackass!
TwL +1.
If you really want something to change, start a public awareness campaign, write your congressperson, etc.... something actually productive! Don't just be an an attention-whoring asshole causing gratuitous destruction.
...
How can you be an attention whore when you remain anonymous? I'm not asking rhetorically. I don't understand how this is attention whoring. Doesn't remaining anonymous pretty much assure that the attention stays firmly focused on their actions and message, rather than them?
Dea, that is one of the most naive things I have ever read (and this is one of the most hyperbolic sentences I have ever written!). But seriously--"write your congressperson?" The same congresspeople who ignored people during the bailout of banks, which had a raging 10-20% support of the US population? The same people who couldn't get a debt deal done until the 11th hour, despite repeated calls from 1000s of constituents to get it done? Furthermore, shutting down Facebook is the best public awareness campaign I could imagine. Doesn't matter what your stance is; you will take notice if a massively mainstream service is shut down for any amount of time due to hacking.
hahahahahaha
"write your congressperson"
haaaa [wiping tears]
All I can say to this is hallehfuckinjulah! Been hoping for and keeping my fingers crossed that someone would do this!
All I can say to this is hallehfuckinjulah! Been hoping for and keeping my fingers crossed that someone would do this!
heard you the first time but yeah right on!
Hah. I didn't mean to double post, twas an accident good sir! But yeah, in all sincere honesty and seriousness, the news of this made my day. I look forward to it I really do. I say target twitter next.
Yes, just tell the world the details of your scheme three months in advance.... no one will ever see it coming or find a way to prevent it by then!
My thoughts exactly.
I think they're doing a V for Vendetta thing. Telling everyone it's going to happen and doing it anyway to prove that no one can stop them. Hubris.
I have my doubts that this is really the big hancho anonymous making these allegations. "Anonymous" also said it was going to troll tumblr incessantly but nothing actually happened. This may be some other group of people posing as anonymous as was the case in the westborro baptist church thing and was probably the case in the tumblr thing.
but anyways, we'll see
Great post I must say. Simple but yet interesting. Wonderful work!