Until anons start planting roadside bombs and strapping on suicide vests, they don't make the cut.
Definition of a terrorist: A person who spreads terror in the populace to achieve a political goal.
That's exactly what Anon is. They even wear Guy Fawkes masks.
You're taking a bunch of loons on the internet way too seriously, why don't you go on a crusade about the fact that we haven't cracked down on Pakistan? That's a more worthy cause.
Major Tom got to it already, or did you miss that thread?
edited 22nd Jun '11 11:45:23 AM by blueharp
One problem at a time. Pakistan is not currently threatening to shut down major corporate websites in a direct attack on all government. They're in Pakistan yelling about how bad Americans are and blowing up their own people.
^
And hiding the most wanted terrorist in the world and lying to us about it, up until recently..
I don't give a fuck if anon attacks corporate interests, megacorporations are greedy bastards. I'm in Law Enforcement and I'd stand by and cheer them on if they started e-raping Rupert Murdoch and News Corp.
Those "greedy bastards" are the guys keeping the USA alive. People always hate on them but without big companies like that we'd be screwed.
We need to leave the Middle East. What's our objective? We're just occupying for no apparent reason.
It rhymes with Linoleum.
It hasn't been very effective, now has it? If we wanted oil we could invade Kuwait.
^^
I giggled. 
^^^
Rupert Murdoch is not keeping the US alive, he's manipulating a vast percentage of the worlds news to fit his own agenda, something which is absolutely morally reprehensible. Any revenue his company brings in is not worth the price that comes attached. If we can't have semi-honest corporations(an oxymoron in this day and age) then they need to be kicked to the curb until someone responsible can come forth. The way many of these companies victimize the rest of the world is unacceptable, and that's why they tend to be targets of groups like the ones mentioned. If they didn't have shady business practices, then they wouldn't be targets.
^
Kuwait already gives us oil for a decent price, and the Kuwaiti government absolutely loves us.
edited 22nd Jun '11 12:04:45 PM by Barkey
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
Effective for who?
You??
Wait, you thought the gov't was serving YOUR needs? It is to laugh.
edited 22nd Jun '11 12:04:40 PM by blueharp
The government does serve our needs.
We have roads to drive on, water in our faucet, safe food, we're never in danger of starving, among other things.
The government does it's job.
Things could be better. Someday they will. But as for now, I will have to deal with what I have.
Not with their operations in the Mid-East.
The Gov't does serve my needs. My parents are employed as public sector workers, we got a grant from the gov't for insulation in the house, my gran has a free bus pass and a pension, I go to a good school, state-funded, my bins are picked up every Tuesday, and my streets are clean.
Also, I get free, quality, healthcare.
Some people need a more refined snark detector.
You should petition your government for one.
edited 22nd Jun '11 3:10:42 PM by blueharp
"Not at all. Not if investigating those requires invasions of privacy." - Savage Heathen
Anonymous ITSELF is a threat to privacy; they're known for giving out personal contact information. So your privacy is threatened either way. As such, I would go with said supposedly privacy trampling investigations. Even the government is probably more trustworthy than Anonymous.
edited 22nd Jun '11 3:15:13 PM by neoYTPism
Only if you're a moron about your privacy online. Besides, 98% of Anonymous is nothing but talk. It's the 2% that you have to worry about.
Are you implying that if they are morons, we should not be protecting their privacy? Because what 4chan is doing (and I am not sure of the extent of it, but I do think it is Tempting Fate to assume you have to be a "moron" for your personal info to be posted by them) is the moral equivalent of the strong preying on the weak.
Okay, maybe only 2% do the actual research or hacking or whatever. That still makes the 2% a threat to privacy. And then there is the issue that the other 98% WOULD be a threat to privacy if they gained skills in hacking...
Pro-Freedom Fanatic
Whatever the harm Anonymous might do, it's nothing compared to the government having effective control over online communications, including the ability to monitor them.
It's much better to keep ourselves protected against governmental intrusion than give privacy up to help combat a buncha hackers.
You exist because we allow it and you will end because we demand it.
^^
Anon will never throw you in a prison because they don't like your oppinion. So no, equating government invasion of privacy with private invasion of privacy is not comparable.
They might however, ruin my credit, set my house on fire, beat me up, or otherwise ruin my life.
At least the government has some checks and balances.
At least the aim of the government isn't to screw everyone in the metaphorical ass. I'd rather take government 'intervention' over private intrusions on everything I've every done on the web.
Yeah actually you know on second thought, there's no mutual exclusivity here. You don't need tight law enforcement of the internet, and we don't need private groups violating everyone's e-ass. Police can catch them without any extra policing powers or PR campaigns.
@neo: No, that was Lulz Sec; it's against the principle of Anonymous to expose privacy information of random people that haven't done anything.
EDIT @DG: Anonymous certainly has a very high opinion of itself, but it's a very well warranted high opinion.
Most people who thought it was safe to mess with it have thought otherwise. Hasn't done quite so well against organizations, but it can do some pretty nasty things to individual people.
edited 22nd Jun '11 7:14:05 PM by BlackHumor
I'm convinced that our modern day analogues to ancient scholars are comedians. -0dd1
The thing is, most governments won't bother to differentiate between "the internet as the ultimate in free expression and access to information" and "internet as the realm of hackers and trolls" and substantially compromise the former to combat the latter.
Over time as the more internet-savvy generation replaces the present lot of politicians that will become less of an issue, but in the meanwhile it's a hard thing to acheive. Mind you, one of the folk involved was arrested down in England, so they are taking it seriously enough.
And let us pray that come it may (As come it will for a' that)