Justice for the PayPal WikiLeaks protesters - why DDoS is free speech
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This is not "hacking". It is protest, and it is speech.Jay Leiderman/Guardian 22/01/13
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The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act is thus being used to stifle new and creative forms of online expression. This type of harmless creative protest should be encouraged: our nation was built upon the principles of free speech. If the founders of this great nation saw its laws abused, as when applied to these minor protests, I think they would be shocked and offended.
Our best and brightest should be encouraged to find new methods of expression; direct action in protest must not stifled
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No one is in front of that, whatever it is, no legislator, pundit, artist whatever. These are new creatures. They're bristling with moral outrage, but it's in a new form, and it has new weapons of expression.
In a crazy way it's like the mobilized "Hopeys" of 2008. Encouraging in its intent, dismaying in its direction and co-opted actions and their results.
But it's way bigger now, and it's still creating itself, so co-option isn't a judgment, it's a warning.
What's "it"? In this context the group Anonymous, which is unknowable from the outside. Except by claimed responsibilities.
The danger of that is really great.
But its efficacy, and the encouragement of witnessing it is great as well.
The FBI's done a lot of heinous shit, it's also done a lot of seriously beneficial shit. The danger there is the bad gets in the door on the good's password.
Anonymous needs internal vigilance, I hope they have it. The guy I heard speaking for/from Anonymous on Democracy Now! some months back didn't seem to have much but a sense of his own grandiose cathartic virtual rebel heroic. Which I personally find deeply unsettling.
I've been in the crosshairs of invisible moral heroes for decades. The aesthetic stench of mindless inquisition is not something easily ignored.
On the other hand all we have now is new ways, immediate and unforeseen, because every traditional path toward change is locked down, monitored, and strategically surrounded.
