If The Gov't Wants To Stop Hactivists, It Should Look At Its Policy Choices First
from the the-right-way-and-the-wrong-way dept
As law enforcement continue to try to chase down every lead to figure out who was behind LulzSec, a bit of wisdom from Loz Kaye in the UK. He notes that efforts like LulzSec, Wikileaks, Anonymous and others are being driven by bad government policies, in which governments look to clamp down on free speech and shut down technologies they don't understand, just because some people might use them for things the government doesn't like. The end effect is actually driving more people to demonstrate just what the technology can be used for in protest.I don't think very many people in the government recognize this simple fact. They continue to treat these web-native movements as if they can be dealt with in the same manner as criminal operations. They may arrest a few people here or there, but that's not going to have the desired impact. If anything, it's only going to drive even more people to join the fray.LulzSec wasn't an isolated or unique phenomenon. People with passionate beliefs have been using new technological tools to effect change out of a sense of powerlessness. In the last year, I've watched 38 Degrees using the strength of association online to change government policy, WikiLeaks force transparency on those who'd rather run from it, even the amorphous mass that is Anonymous taking a stand on whatever issue they feel deserves their attention.
These tools are now themselves under attack. Lord Mandelson's last gift to us, the Digital Economy Act, is just one of a raft of "three strikes laws" worldwide that threaten to cut off households from the web. Buried in the coalition's Prevent strategy is the assertion that "internet filtering across the public estate is essential". Nor is it solely a British issue; Nicolas Sarkozy called for global online governance at the eG8 in his attempt to civilise the "wild west" of the web.
We've reached a critical juncture: either we sail headlong into escalating confrontation, or we attempt to change tack and reduce the tension by finding a democratic way forward, one that preserves our right to free association. From anonymous bloggers in Iran, to those using Twitter and Facebook in Tahrir Square and even teenagers in the bedrooms of Essex, there is a common thread. A feeling of persecution and dismay that our freedoms are being suppressed.Of course, I can't see any government today smart enough to recognize this. It seems that they're going to continue down this path that they've chosen, and then act surprised when it fails to have much of an impact, other than to escalate the problems.
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Filed Under: governments, hacktivism, hacktivists, policies
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but... but...
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I wonder...
** shakes Magic 8 Ball **
8 Ball: "Reply Hazy. See 'War on Drugs' or Ask Again Later."
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Every government needs enemies to justify its "enforcement".
A couple dozen guys from a cave in Afghanistan didn't outwit all of NORAD so that the plane weren't intercepted, or make a modern steel building that wasn't even hit by a plane just fall down.
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Re: Every government needs enemies to justify its "enforcement".
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Re: Re: Every government needs enemies to justify its "enforcement".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQgVCj7q49o
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=396 4499857359919664
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXw3jJ3021
peer reviewed science journal detailing evidence of explosives found at WTC site...
http://www.benthamscience.com/open/tocpj/articles/V002/7TOCPJ.htm
Watch just these videos with an open and scientific mind and you will see undeniable evidence that the the official 911 story (which has been changed repeatedly to cover new physical and scientific evidence) is a lie...you will discover further evidence, including physical evidence, that suggests that, indeed, the 3 towers were brought down by explosives. The Popular Mechanics report, NIST, and the 911 Commission have all been thoroughly debunked.
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And this is because governments and influential organizations are populated with people so out of touch with the realities of the world that they are seemingly clueless. How can one govern that which they do not even attempt to understand?
Draconian measures are negative incentives and therefore are doomed to failure. The hypocrisy is not even funny any more, they demand respect and yet give none. Their motto is, take what you can - give nothing back, and yet they call their customers pirates.
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we're much further down that road, mike
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The idea of Government policy driving such actions and the psychology is ignored and the finer points get lost amongst the desire to clamp down and cyberwar rhetoric.
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If the King wants to stop American colonies from revolting . . .
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Re: If the King wants to stop American colonies from revolting . . .
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I am cautiously optimistic about how we will move forward. Granted, legacy stakeholders and those stuck in the past will fight just as hard as they always do. However, it is very clear that this is free speech vs copyright law. I don't agree with several recent supreme court decisions, but if money is speech and interactive disemboweling games are speech, then a lot of online activism will probably end up being protected speech too.
Just don't get caught breaking into others servers to take the information and you will probably be fine.
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Unfortunately the CDC still reports cases of Disco Fever popping up here and there.
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Fortunately, the cure is more cowbell.
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Let me clear things up for you
> I don't agree with several recent supreme court decisions,
> but if money is speech and interactive disemboweling games
> are speech, then a lot of online activism will probably
> end up being protected speech too.
Let me clarify things:
Money is speech.
(Supreme Court.)
Online activism is not protected speech.
(Because it works against moneyed interests. See: Money is speech.)
Violent disemboweling games are free speech.
(Because money is involved. See: Money is speech.)
Anything remotely sexual is obscene and must be age restricted.
(Because if kids see it, they will do it.)
Violence is not obscene, and is okay for kindergarten children.
(Because if kids see it, they won't do it, nor will they be affected by it in any way.)
Free speech is a quantity that can be measured.
(See: Money is speech. Then look at your bank statement.)
It is definitely NOT copyright vs. free speech. You are confused by the oldspeak definition of free speech.
Money is speech. Speech should be copyrightable, otherwise you lose your free speech, which also means losing money. Pirates, Lulz and Anonymous are causing you to lose money, er, free speech -- which is protected by the 1st Amendment. The government is your private police force to protect your free speech or copyright, or both, so that you don't have to spend your own money to protect them. If you had to spend your own money, then you might no longer deserve eternal copyright and would quantifiably be losing free speech with each dollar you spend.
(See: money is speech)
I hope that clears it up for you.
Money is Speech.
Freedom is Slavery.
Ignorance is Strength.
War is Peace.
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Re: Let me clear things up for you
After the information is made public, any Lulz, even epic Lulz is free speech.
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Re: Re: Let me clear things up for you
Money is free speech!
:-)
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There is a certain irony in sending children to jail to protect the children :)
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but most hackers would be kids
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burn these creeps down
One of the most incredibly stupid comments I've ever heard. "Criminal behavior being driven by bad government policies," imagine that. Could there possibly be a more irresponsible comment than that? I suppose rather than working to change government policy, the post-modern rationale here is just turn to criminal behavior. Brilliant!
The do-gooders (hackers) rationale is always the same; we're doing things for the betterment of all Internet users. Lets call this argument what it really is (bullshit), find these freaks and get them out of society for a very very long time. There is absolutely no socially redeeming value in what they do, anymore than a thug who breaks into your home and wantonly steals your stuff is worth defending. No telling how much these people have stolen from the rest of us (for personal gain) and its rather disingenuous to defend the behavior, IMO.
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Re: burn these creeps down
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Re: burn these creeps down
I find that in the real world, the "bad guys / good guys" labels are a little harder to assign and generally have nothing to do with hat color or charisma.
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Re: burn these creeps down
See: War on Drugs, Prostitution
Government policy in both of those areas is the force that keeps alive the brutal, criminal cartels that we have today. Is it that far-fetched of an idea, really?
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Re: Re: burn these creeps down
No that didn't spur any "criminal" activities did it?
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Re: burn these creeps down
There is little to be gained by hacking, much of it is negative, and it encourages others to try. There isn't an upside here that I can see.
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There is somethings that are gained from hactivism (which is different from hacking). Things like awareness and press coverage for issues that are normally buried by the mainstream press.
Hactivism simply a modern day version of civil disobedience. And civil disobedience has gained us some pretty good things that are taken for granted in this day and age. Little things like: Civil rights for minorities, voting rights for women, etc. Even more recent, civil disobedience brought down a repressive regime in Egypt.
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Re: burn these creeps down
With this in mind do you REALLY think removing these people from society is going to do anything at all? Aside from reinforce their beliefs that the governments and corporations that they are attacking through their most fluent means, are unjust overlords that are issuing bad policies?
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Re: Re: burn these creeps down
I call bullshit. Take a look at the long history of hackers and hacker culture and stop using moronic talking points from ignorant assholes.
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Re: Re: burn these creeps down
Coming from an AC wishing to remove his identity from this forum, perhaps because he's a social pariah?
"their beliefs that the governments and corporations ... are unjust overlords that are issuing bad policies?"
I believe that the government and the corporations are unjust entities issuing corrupt policies. I don't think hacking is the way to solve this problem though.
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Re: burn these creeps down
The hackers ARE the heroes. If you don't believe it, just read a few more posts here and on ars defending everything they do. The only group that gets more love than hackers is pirates.
You'll never get anywhere bashing either one so you might as well join the collective.
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Re: burn these creeps down
I'm still waiting for those dirty thieves to return my property.... now if only there was an internet savy group concerned about my rights.....
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New meaning to kissing up
So how does your enlightened regard for hacker treatment of gov't websites explain hacker attacks on Sony and other non-gov't websites? It doesn't explain why they steal and then disclose the IDs and passwords of innocent customers that had nothing to do with those gov't policies you so abhor.
And speaking of whores . . .
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i do not know how to do any hacking besides the basics of tool names and such, but if the government sets up any sort of censorship thing on china`s lvl i`d be happy to learn
im sure i could always use a bump key to break into any system they set up and steal a hard drive if in a rush, but if not get password hashes w/o detection
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US Government started this war
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