Hacktivism - Impact on Society
Hacktivism uses computer technology to achieve a social or political agenda through legally ambiguous means. It is a combination of two terms: hacking and Activism. Hacktivism primarily involves government or corporate agencies but can also include institutions, religious groups, or other parties.
Hacktivism is a blend of hacking and activism, where digital tools are used to promote political or social change. It involves a range of activities from online protests to exposing confidential information.
Hacktivism lies in four different boundaries. These are Civil Disobedience, Hacking, Online Activism, and Cyber-terrorism. While civil disobedience and Hacktivism share unrest towards a political or social structure, Hacktivism has an online presence and actions to be taken online. Internet is not considered Hacktivism, as it has an extensive range of motivations, while hacking done for social or political motivations is classified as Hacktivism. Many other motivations include money, ego, entertainment, and status.
While hacktivism can be seen as a form of political engagement or protest, it often operates in a legal grey area, potentially crossing into illegal activities under national laws.
Online Activism uses social media, emails, podcasts, and petitions to raise awareness and motivate the audience to act toward a set goal. This differs from Hacktivism, which does not obstruct regular computer activity or break laws or policies.
Cyber-terrorism is social or politically motivated hacking done with the sole intention of causing harm to the victim; this could either be loss of life or severe economic damage. On the other hand, Hacktivism is not done to cause harm; instead, it is meant to spread awareness and be heard by others.
Individually, these four terms do not define or relate to Hacktivism; however, collectively, they provide us with the meaning of Hacktivism, which first emerged in 1996 through a hacker collective called “Cult of the Dead Cow.” The primary reason for its emergence was the growing importance of the Internet of Communication. Protests and disagreements have been an essential part of history; people have consistently demonstrated their need to be heard and get their message across even before the invention of the Internet. Internet, this was done through rallies held outside city halls and letters sent to newspaper editors or government officials. However, it was all geographically localized. With the emergence of the Internet, the Internet could communicate and interact regardless of their physical location. They were now also able to find and collaborate with like-minded individuals with the same ideologies and philosophies. Hacktivism allowed these individuals to collaborate, make statements, and spread their ideas.
Hacktivism can lead to significant consequences, such as violating privacy, disrupting essential services, or inadvertently causing wider damage beyond the intended targets.
Like almost everything, I believe Hacktivism is both good and bad. On the one hand, it breaks crucial laws and policies, accessing sensitive classified information and disrupting essential services and organizations. On the other, it allows individuals to stand up for what they believe in and make a difference. I strongly advocate for free speech, open-source technology, and freely available information, and I think it is essential for Hacktivism in our society. This is because, even though Hacktivism illegal attacks and breaks various laws and policies, it brings forth necessary change in our society. The rules and policies in place are not perfect; they will never be perfect, and we need Hacktivism to convey the voices of people who feel left out and unheard by the current government. Hacktivism brings forth positive change, aiming to identify any political or social issues in our society and push us toward improving ourselves.
If supporting hacktivist causes, consider legal forms of advocacy and engagement to contribute to social change without risking legal consequences.
Two of the significant hacktivist groups have been LulzSec and Anonymous, and both have successfully brought positive change by targeting major organizations and forcing them to reconsider their current practices. LulzSec has improved the cybersecurity standards for various organizations by finding vulnerabilities in their websites and publishing their findings online, causing them to improve their security standpoint. Anonymous has been actively involved in anti-piracy movements, attacking child pornography websites and taking on ISIS.
Groups like LulzSec and Anonymous have been prominent in the hacktivism scene, often targeting organizations to highlight security vulnerabilities or to protest against certain actions or policies.
Hacktivist groups like these motivate others and represent standing up against bad actors in the modern Internet era.