ANONYMOUS / BLOG 8

         Jumping back to two posts ago here on my blog… something very interesting has happened today. The "hacktivist" group Anonymous has begun posting emails and phone numbers for alleged members of the Ku Klux Klan. 1,000 full identities are rumored to be exposed this Thursday. This is a black and white example of fighting evil with evil. On the numerous news sites reporting about this happening, although it's only been up for about a half hour, there are many people jumping to the defense of the KKK's anonymity. Yes, what the Klan does is hateful but an anonymous group giving up the information of another anonymous organization is wildly ironic.

         Ah, the power of the Internet. This was possible because Anonymous hacked into a "compromised" Twitter account that housed much of the email information that they eventually leaked today. Supposedly Anonymous and the Klan have had issues with each other in the past and Anonymous made it very clear in their leak today that they were not intending on bashing them for their use of free speech and that, although it is hateful, their speech is legal and shall remain so. That being said, Anonymous claims that the Klan's actions are terrorist-like and much more than an extremist or hate group.

         Although this news is unrelated to Chapter 11 in the text, law enforcement can be tied in because of the potential leak of political and enforcement leaders' names later this week. Anonymous has mentioned that they have information about the Ku Klux Klan that would link them to the Ferguson issues and if that ends up being true, the topic of police corruption will be raised and potential social distrust of police would skyrocket.

         Since this news is so recent and sudden, I have not yet formed an opinion on it. Although I am all for people owning up to their hateful behavior regardless of they believe they should be guarded by an anonymous curtain, the legitimacy of this leak is questionable at this point and repercussions from the Klan concern me. I'm not bothered by the irony of Anonymous leaking other organization's anonymous information because, as their group type "hacktivist" suggests, they get their information through hacks in compromised accounts and sites and that's just as they did with this situation.

Article link: http://www.ibtimes.com/anonymous-begins-publishing-ku-klux-klan-member-details-online-2164710