We discussed in lecture last week about how groups use DOS (denial of service) attacks on websites to take them down, basically by overloading their servers with activity. We discussed how Anonymous attempted this once before, but was unsuccessful. Well, this week they tried again and succeeded. Although they didn't do much damages, as the site wasn't down for very long, it shows how any site is vulnerable if enough people are involved.
Anonymous is an technologically advanced activist, or a "hacktivist", group that uses the power of the internet to get their point across. Although these attacks on websites are illegal, I don't really disagree with what they are doing. They attack corporations that tend to damage society, and more recently, websites that abuse children.
For the police to step in and do what this group does legally would be very difficult, and obviously they couldn't be as damaging as Anonymous. This group, although deemed negative, is really only negative in a sense they carry out their protests illegally, in my opinion. They are sort of like the online Robin Hood by taking down web pages of those who abuse children because realistically, the government would never attempt to take down the Vatican web page, even though there are many cases, known and unknown, of child abuse in the Roman Catholic society.
I think that groups that help a cause that many people push under the rug deserve some credit, and possibly more support. Although they have done negative things, they also do positive things and it has opened my eyes to what really happens on the web, and how society really doesn't do much to filter these things out, not as much as Anonymous does anyway.
Articles:
- http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2012-03-07/anonymous-vatican-hacked/53399832/1?csp=34news
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8846577/Anonymous-hacktivists-target-child-abuse-websites.html
- More information on the group: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Chanology
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ReplyDeleteI am not at all a deeply religious person. I did attend a Catholic school as child but grew up in a household thought to respect all religions (father is Catholic, and mother is Hindu). I don't think that Anonymous should have any business in taking down the Vatican website (NOT implying they have business anywhere else). They are not harming to society in anyway, and should not be condemned for the acts of a few bad apples. Religion is not perfect because those who practice it are not. Don't condemn a whole religion and millions of people, for the acts of a few bad priests. Condemning a whole group of people for the wrong doings of a few is stereotyping, and that is harmful to society.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I accidently posted my reply to your comment as a separate comment below, I'll paste it here to correct this.
DeleteThey recently again took down the website. I think the reason they are doing this is because of the corruption of the Catholic church, that is, when they are trying to protect priests and other members of the religion that have some connection to child abuse. They are known to hide information of convicted priests and it seems like they aren't out to get Catholics, but are only after the Vatican for doing this. I agree that they are punishing the whole Catholic society by attacking the top of the organisation, but I am sort of on the fence, leaning more on the agreeing with them for protecting children's rights, rather than the image of Catholicism. Not many people will listen unless things are blown out of proportion, as how they protested their opinion.
They recently again took down the website. I think the reason they are doing this is because of the corruption of the Catholic church, that is, when they are trying to protect priests and other members of the religion that have some connection to child abuse. They are known to hide information of convicted priests and it seems like they aren't out to get Catholics, but are only after the Vatican for doing this. I agree that they are punishing the whole Catholic society by attacking the top of the organisation, but I am sort of on the fence, leaning more on the agreeing with them for protecting children's rights, rather than the image of Catholicism. Not many people will listen unless things are blown out of proportion, as how they protested their opinion.
ReplyDelete