Everyone already heard about the 'Anonymous.' This hacking-activist or hacktivist group has been around for years now. But, how did it started? Who started it? Let's start with the man named Aubrey Cottle.
How to join 'Anonymous'
The Atlantic: This Man Accidentally Created Hacktivist 'Anonymous' Group at the Age of 20
'Anonymous' has returned in 2020 by exposing cases of police brutality, happening in the United States. More so related with the death of black man George Floyd.
Its not all surprising that people are interested to know more about the group. Or even how to join them. Based on few reports, 'Anonymous' is not technically a group. It was said to be an idea of being an anonymous or unknown on exposing certain political info or government problem.
There were no leaders, members, or membership application, as said on people from Quora. The only thing that matters is to have a contribution to a cause. Some people also said that everyone of us could be 'Anon,' or how people are calling themselves as part of the movement.
"It's the vigilante," Gregg Housh, one of the creators of a 2008 Anonymous anti-Scientology video, told The Atlantic. Anonymous "was designed specifically to be that way. In its initial founding, it existed as trolls ... people doing whatever they wanted, with that hint of vigilantism. It was designed to be totally open. Anyone can be Anonymous."
But, how did the idea started? It comes from a 20-year-old hacker, at the time, named Aubrey Cottle.
As exclusively reported by The Atlantic, Cottle was a typical teenager that does online pranking. They normally call themselves 'trolls' with two groups called Something Awful and 420chan. The members are called 'Anonymous' since once a post was unindentified, they will be called that word.
In 2007, The Atlantic shared that the 20-year-old hacker was visited by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. He was asked if he can hack the system against al-Qaeda and terrorist groups.
He said no.
After this, the controversy about Anonymous group has started. A Fox affiliate in Los Angeles called the group 'hackers on steroids' Therein, they called Cottle's group as terrorist hacking group. It has became famous since then.
Cottle has became the de facto leader of Anonymous. He jokingly created the"Rules of the Internet." like "3. We are Anonymous 4. Anonymous is legion 5. Anonymous never forgives."
So far, Anonymous now expands even more.
'Anonymous' exposes police brutality in USA
A line of Washington State Patrol officers in riot gear form as protesters point over a barricade during a protest against police brutality and the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, near Seattle Police Department's East Precinct in Seattle, Washington, U.S. June 1, 2020
On May 29, the Anonymous returned again exposing the police brutality that has been happening in Minneapolis Police Department-- wherein George Floyd was arrested.
It warned authorities that the expose won't end yet. And it turns out, the 'BlueLeaks' expose was the cherry on top.
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This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Jamie Pancho
