Can Anonymous take over Facebook?
The hacktivist group Anonymous has recently announced plans to take down Facebook on November 5th as a way to protest the lack of choice about privacy issues on the website. You've probably heard about Anonymous, they are a growing group of people who are frustrated by the economic recession, about the lack of jobs and about the governments involvement in everyday peoples' lives.
The group has stated on Twitter that although this attack plan is being carried out by some of their members, the organization as a whole does not necessarily agree with the attack. Still, it isn't a threat to be taken lightly. A couple of months ago Anonymous released several videos on YouTube outlining their year long plan to declare war on the "system". This group, who are primarly associated with hacking has already claimed participation in almost every recent hack this year. In fact, they successfully broke into 70 law enforcement websites and they shut down the Syrian Ministry of Defense's website as well.
Facebook has often raised eyebrows due to their handling of privacy issues. Many people feel that the site exploits the personal information that people provide and uses it to make a profit. In addition, there have been recent cases where people have faced criminal charges based on having posted pictures of themselves engaged in illegal activities, like underaged drinking.
Some people suspect that the attack isn't just about privacy issue. In fact, Anonymous recently announced that they are planning to form their own social network called AnonPlus. This announcement came right after Google + banned their Google account. This left them looking for a new place to connect with others, in addition to their website forum and IRC channel.
Here's the video about the plan:
In addition to the video, the group also released a statement. Here it is:
"Attention citizens of the world, We wish to get your attention, hoping you heed the warnings as follows:
Your medium of communication you all so dearly adore will be destroyed. If you are a willing hacktivist or a guy who just wants to protect the freedom of information, then join the cause and kill facebook for the sake of your own privacy.
Facebook has been selling information to government agencies and giving clandestine access to information security firms so that they can spy on people from all around the world. Some of these so-called whitehat infosec firms are working for authoritarian governments, such as those of Egypt and Syria.
Everything you do on Facebook stays on Facebook regardless of your "privacy" settings, and deleting your account is impossible, even if you "delete" your account, all your personal info stays on Facebook and can be recovered at any time. Changing the privacy settings to make your Facebook account more "private" is also a delusion.
Facebook knows more about you than your family.
http://www.physorg.com/news170614271.html
http://itgrunts.com/2010/10/07/facebook-steals-numbers-and-data-from-your-iphone/
http://itgrunts.com/2010/10/07/facebook-steals-numbers-and-data-from-your-iphone/
You cannot hide from the reality in which you, the people of the internet, live in. Facebook is the opposite of the Antisec cause. You are not safe from them nor from any government. One day you will look back on this and realize what we have done here is right, you will thank the rulers of the internet, we are not harming you but saving you.
The riots are underway. It is not a battle over the future of privacy and publicity. It is a battle for choice and informed consent. It's unfolding because people are being raped, tickled, molested, and confused into doing things where they don't understand the consequences. Facebook keeps saying that it gives users choices, but that is completely false. It gives users the illusion of and hides the details away from them "for their own good" while they then make millions off of you. When a service is "free," it really means they're making money off of you and your information.
Think for a while and prepare for a day that will go down in history.
November 5 2011, #opfacebook .
Engaged.
This is our world now. We exist without nationality, without religious bias.
We have the right to not be surveilled, not be stalked, and not be used for profit.
We have the right to not live as slaves.
We are anonymous
We are legion
We do not forgive
We do not forget
Expect us
We are legion
We do not forgive
We do not forget
Expect us
What do you think about Facebook's privacy issues? Do you think that Anonymous will be able to take down Facebook? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for TechCareersBlog. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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