On Tuesday, someone claiming to speak for the underground group Anonymous released a video declaration of war against "the system."
The YouTube manifesto is a call to everyone in the online world to get off the couch, pick up their cell phones and laptops and join a revolt against governments and corporations that are intent upon stifling free speech online.
"It's time to hack the planet. It's time to turn the tables on the powers that be and show them that we have had enough," a narrator declares in a computer-generated voice used to mask his or her identity.
"This is our challenge," the narrator continues:
The revolution must take hold as a peaceful revolution. We must build our strength and unity through ideas, ingenuity and creativity. We must tear down the barriers that have existed to this day only because we allowed them to. The revolution must be televised. We must utilize the tools that we have and apply them with existing technology: computers, cell phones, internet and media.
Anonymous consists of a loose-knit collective of underground hackers and Internet freedom advocates that grew out of the 4Chan forum and other online networks of political activists.
The group seeks to unite hackers and culture jammers behind a singular purpose: to tear down digital-age barriers to free expression. With Tuesday's video manifesto, Anonymous has apparently widened its target to wage war against all entities that "are taking steps to make the Internet a less friendly and tolerable place for expression."
Given the elusive nature of the group, it's hard to determine whether this Anonymous manifesto came from the organization's leadership -- if they exist at all -- or simply bubbled up from within its loose structure.
It is, however, something that should not be taken lightly.
Anonymous has launched several successful "operations" to bring down the websites of governments, corporations and political groups it sees as oppressors. Earlier this week a NATO report warned member states of a serious Anonymous threat to their military security.
It has also followed up on WikiLeaks, hacking into the confidential files of these groups and releasing them to the public.
Earlier this year Anonymous released the emails of Aaron Barr, the executive of security firm HBGary, including a PowerPoint proposal to smear writer Glenn Greenwald, who is one of the most outspoken defenders of Wikileaks.
In March, Anonymous released emails it claimed to have obtained from Bank of America, allegedly exposing corruption and fraud related to mortgage foreclosures in the U.S.
The manifesto is pretty compelling stuff, written by someone familiar with the history of seminal political texts. And it's told to a danceable backbeat:
[the revolution] must begin immediately because as you are listening to this address world governments are taking steps to make the Internet a less friendly and tolerable place for expression. This is a direct attack on your rights.
As a response Anonymous calls upon "all those who possess the ability to alter cyber barriers" to hack the oppressors using peaceful means, including art, graffiti, fliers, music, lectures, assembly and protest. It also called upon those with technical know how to use their skills to become "digital warriors of the underground," presumably to help hack into systems of the groups they oppose.
"This is not anarchy this is resistance," the manifesto claims. "The time is now. The revolution has begun."
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Is it really necessary to get off the couch for that? Can't we wage this revolution in a seated position? Or in bed?
Oops... Sorry... I forgot: "It is, however, something that should not be taken lightly."
What they do is fine with me but they're hackers, not Lenin.
"[Democracy] was a dream some of us once had." - Joni Mitchell
"Moto of the Profitocracy: 'Damn the electorate, PROFIT AT ANY COST!'" - MrJMaq
http://politicalfinancereform.org/
The lashing out at these elements by the people is a needed, clear re-establishment of defined rights which are dwindling down to nothing. The hijacked Christian right will loose the right to bear arms as their equity/property is siphoned into the pockets of our embedded despots. Picture it as the wild animal that only lashes out when threatened. There is no joy in revenge, just desperation in the loss of our birth rights.
The government operates with indifference in freely offering up our life-long hard earned equity to crooks, while letting them freely exploit the human and natural resources of this great country. To make matters worse , the reward is enormous for denying local employment and exploitation unchecked, overseas.
Smirking, indifferent lackeys who feign concern while subjecting us to theives, are what we have protecting our rights. No surprise, after the ME that their plunderous owners want more protections as ours disappear.
Bring the whole stinking corrupt system of enslavement down !!!!!
In addition, there needs to be a global apolitical regulatory body to oversee/regulate/guide the Internet and adhering to the Bill of Rights.
There must be some balance and acceptance of reasonable safety and security.
Children and all Netizens should be reasonably protected, criminal and destructive activities should be discouraged and punished.
Corporations and governments should NOT be able use the Net against the interests of Netizens for their own excessive gain, without recourse or sanctions.
If they do, then rebellions will follow, as we have seen.
In future it may become possible to take an offending corporation or government to to Internet Court, charged with specified crimes against Netizens.
In other cases, one government may charge another as is done in trade and boundary disputes.
Excepting extreme cases (act of war level), this could be a better way to resolve disputes and reduce the need for acts of rebellion.
The Internet is the single greatest hope for peacefully integrating the peoples and cultures of the world.
It allows the sharing of information, news, ideas, feelings, music, humor, truth and lies with a speed, scale and scope previously inconceivable in human history.
Although its evolution is fraught with dangers, it requires our collective honest an best efforts to make it serve us all.
If they try to take it away, we'll take it back. And it will hurt.