Description

“WE” ANONYMOUS DESCRIPTION:

WE ARE ANONYMOUS. WE ARE LEGION.
WE DO NOT FORGIVE. WE DO NOT FORGET.
WAIT FOR US.

Anonymous is a decentralized hacktivist movement that acts in a coordinated manner to pursue a shared goal. It is widely known for several cyber attacks against various corporations, government institutions, and Scientology.
HISTORY
Guy Fawkes mask, from V for Vendetta.
This hyper-conscious movement, born in 2003, is inspired by the practice of anonymously posting images and comments on the internet and, more generally, on the web. The concept, understood as a “shared identity,” developed on the English-language imageboard 4chan, where the nickname “Anonymous” was assigned to visitors who commented without identifying themselves. Users of the imageboards, primarily dedicated to anime and manga, began to identify Anonymous with a real person. As the actions of 4chan users grew in popularity, a meme spread about a collective of nameless individuals fighting against injustice and powerful forces.
DESCRIPTION
All observers agree that it’s difficult to precisely define the meaning of the term Anonymous, which is often explained through adjectives and aphorisms that describe its qualities by describing the actions associated with it, such as hacktivism and vigilantism. The term, according to statements by those who claim to act like Anonymous, identifies an aesthetic and a behavior rather than individuals, an aesthetic generically related to the defense of freedom of thought and expression. This is why Anonymous’s “code of ethics” presupposes not attacking the media.
The activities of those who identify with the collective action generated or inspired by Anonymous are broadly twofold: the publication of confidential information acquired through cyberattacks such as exploits, phishing, and social engineering; and the modification or temporary blocking of the target’s online activity through defacement techniques and DDoS (Distribution Denial of Service) attacks.

Unlike other social movements, Anonymous’s actions are characterized by the coexistence of protest activities conducted online, such as netstrike, and in public, real-life, when protesters appear wearing the Guy Fawkes mask made famous by the comic book series “V for Vendetta.”

THE MEMBERS
Anonymous is largely composed of users from various imageboards or forums. Additionally, there are many Wiki and IRC networks whose purpose is to overcome the limitations of traditional imageboards. Through these means of communication, Anonymous activists announce and organize their activities.
As the “FREE COALITION OF INTERNET PEOPLE,” the group gathers online through sites such as 4chan, 711chan, Encyclopedia Dramatica, IRC channels, and YouTube. Social networks such as Facebook are used to create groups that help people mobilize for real-world protests. Anonymous has no leader or controlling party; it relies on the collective power of its members, who act individually so that the network effect benefits the group. While not necessarily tied to a single online entity, many websites are strongly associated with Anonymous; examples include the 4chan and Futuba imageboards, associated wikis, Encyclopedia Dramatica, and a number of forums.
Here’s one of Anonymous’s slogans, reproduced below:
“Anyone who wants can be Anonymous and work toward a set of goals… We have a program that we all agree on, coordinate, and act upon, but to achieve it, everyone acts independently, without seeking any recognition. We just want to achieve something we believe is important…”
(An Anonymous member, quoted by Chris Landers in the Baltimore City Paper, April 2, 2008).