Is it OK to be an Anonymous?
Do the deviant acts carried out by the collective known as Anonymous qualify as vigilante activity, and if so, can they be justified? Addressing this question helps expose the difficulties of morally evaluating technologically enabled deviance. Anonymous is a complex, fluid actor but not as mysterio...
Main Author: | |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2013-12-01
|
Series: | Ethics & Global Politics |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www.ethicsandglobalpolitics.net/index.php/egp/article/download/22527/31447 |
id |
doaj-d48920e488a44564b5f67414412f3f96 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-d48920e488a44564b5f67414412f3f962020-11-25T01:18:13ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEthics & Global Politics1654-49511654-63692013-12-016421724410.3402/egp.v6i4.2252722527Is it OK to be an Anonymous?Philip Serracino-InglottDo the deviant acts carried out by the collective known as Anonymous qualify as vigilante activity, and if so, can they be justified? Addressing this question helps expose the difficulties of morally evaluating technologically enabled deviance. Anonymous is a complex, fluid actor but not as mysterious as popularly portrayed. Under a definition of vigilantism that includes reprobative punishment rather than violence as a key element, Anonymous are vigilantes. Many of its Ops can be justified in view of the mismatch between formal norm enforcement practice and Internet natives’ experience of it. Anons are more like eco-warriors than terrorists. While their actions are contentious, their force is framed in a vision of common good that is not unreasonable. Engaging with online deviants is shown to be a productive way of identifying the weaknesses in concepts underpinning moral evaluation of Internet-enabled phenomena.www.ethicsandglobalpolitics.net/index.php/egp/article/download/22527/31447hackersvigilantespunishmentDDoSviolence onlinedeviancecyber attackethics onlineinternet activismdigital revolution |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Philip Serracino-Inglott |
spellingShingle |
Philip Serracino-Inglott Is it OK to be an Anonymous? Ethics & Global Politics hackers vigilantes punishment DDoS violence online deviance cyber attack ethics online internet activism digital revolution |
author_facet |
Philip Serracino-Inglott |
author_sort |
Philip Serracino-Inglott |
title |
Is it OK to be an Anonymous? |
title_short |
Is it OK to be an Anonymous? |
title_full |
Is it OK to be an Anonymous? |
title_fullStr |
Is it OK to be an Anonymous? |
title_full_unstemmed |
Is it OK to be an Anonymous? |
title_sort |
is it ok to be an anonymous? |
publisher |
Taylor & Francis Group |
series |
Ethics & Global Politics |
issn |
1654-4951 1654-6369 |
publishDate |
2013-12-01 |
description |
Do the deviant acts carried out by the collective known as Anonymous qualify as vigilante activity, and if so, can they be justified? Addressing this question helps expose the difficulties of morally evaluating technologically enabled deviance. Anonymous is a complex, fluid actor but not as mysterious as popularly portrayed. Under a definition of vigilantism that includes reprobative punishment rather than violence as a key element, Anonymous are vigilantes. Many of its Ops can be justified in view of the mismatch between formal norm enforcement practice and Internet natives’ experience of it. Anons are more like eco-warriors than terrorists. While their actions are contentious, their force is framed in a vision of common good that is not unreasonable. Engaging with online deviants is shown to be a productive way of identifying the weaknesses in concepts underpinning moral evaluation of Internet-enabled phenomena. |
topic |
hackers vigilantes punishment DDoS violence online deviance cyber attack ethics online internet activism digital revolution |
url |
http://www.ethicsandglobalpolitics.net/index.php/egp/article/download/22527/31447 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT philipserracinoinglott isitoktobeananonymous |
_version_ |
1725143036658188288 |