Hacktivism has brought a deep confusion to several people thinking how its actions would be considered being an issue within the society, a country or even around the world. This confusion introduces two possible sides whether hacktivism is legal or illegal. Many people argued regarding this matter but no one could really define the real state of this issue even the word itself. It's a word spoken by many, but only understood by few. Hacktivism began without any real meaning at all. Millions of people all over the world thought that "hacktivism" sounded so cool that everybody was calling themselves "hacktivists" without really understanding its implication. The question is… what is hacktivism?
Hacktivism is the fusion of hacking and activism; politics and technology. More specifically, hacktivism is described as hacking for a political cause. In this context, the term hacker is used in reference to its original meaning. The clinical definition of hacktivism is that it is a policy of hacking, phreaking or creating technology to achieve a political or social goal.
However, both hacking and activism, and thus hacktivism, are loaded words ripe for a variety of interpretation. Therefore it is preferable not to clinically define hacktivism but rather to describe the spirit of hacktivism. Hacktivism is the origin. It is the use of one's collective or individual ingenuity to avoid limitations, to hack clever solutions to complex problems using computer and Internet technology. Hacktivism is a continually evolving and open process; its tactics and methodology are not static. In this sense no one owns hacktivism - it has no prophet, no gospel and no canonized literature. Hacktivism is an open-source phenomenon.
Since hacktivism is an idea which comprises two divergent communities such as “hackers” and “activists”, it is essential to understand their respective backgrounds in order to analyze this historic fusion and to examine its challenges and future capabilities. "Hacker" was originally a term that encapsulated an individual's deep understanding of computer systems and networks and the ability to invent, modify, and refine such systems. It is a recombinant attitude that promotes problem solving and creative instinct for it does not limit one's options to the possible. Hacking thrives in an environment in which information is freely accessible. The hacker ethic formulated by Steven Levy in his 1984 book "Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution" outlines the hackertenets:
- Access to computers should be unlimited and total.
- All information should be free.
- Mistrust authority - promote decentralization.
- Hackers should be judged by their hacking not
- bogus criteria such as degrees, age, race, or position.
- You create art and beauty on a computer.
- Computers can change your life for the better.
Hackers hate censorship. Censorship is often seen as a human rights violation especially when it is combined with a repressive, governing administration. In addition, hackers mistrust restrictive legislation that invades on free access to information and cherished electronic privacy. Thus a natural hatred to repressive governments and predatory, private institutions has developed. In Phrack magazine, Dr. Crash explains that computer technology is being misused not by hackers but by governments and corporations.
“The wonderful device meant to enrich life has become a weapon which dehumanizes people. To the government and large businesses, people are no more than disk space, and the government doesn't use computers to arrange aid for the poor, but to control nuclear death weapons”
This sentiment is not an isolated shout. There is definitely a trend within hacker culture that not only focuses on technical aspects of computing but political aspects as well. In the "Hacker's Manifesto" the mentor explains:
“We make use of a service already existing without paying for what could be dirt-cheap if it wasn't run by profiteering gluttons, and you call us criminals. We explore... and you call us criminals. We seek after knowledge... and you call us criminals. We exist without skin color, without nationality, without religious bias... and you call us criminals. You build atomic bombs, you wage wars, you murder, cheat, and lie to us and try to make us believe it's for our own good, yet we're the criminals”
On the other hand, activism consists of intentional action to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. This action is in support of, or opposition to, one side of an often controversial argument.The word "activism" is used synonymously with protest or dissent, but activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing businesses, rallies, street marches, strikes, both sit-ins and hunger strikes, or even guerrilla tactics. Some activists try to persuade people to change their behavior directly, rather than persuade governments to change laws. The cooperative movement seeks to build new institutions which conform to cooperative principles, and generally does not lobby or protest politically.
Hacktivism spread like wildfire and started to let people’s mind be aware of its real essence. Hacking is said to protect human rights and so hacktivism had been defined. It was the fight for the freedom of information, the defense against censorship, the protector of human rights. Hackers everywhere were beginning to take action and stand up for them and other's basic civil rights.
A battle for human rights was fought and won exclusively by hackers. This win is certainly not the last. It's up to us to carry on this message of the free flow of information, the closure of censorship and surveillance. Continue the fight for justice and peace. Continue the fight for a free Internet and a free society.
References:
- This definition appeared on the CULT OF THE DEAD COW’s now defunct website http://www.hacktivism.org which is archived here:
- http://web.archive.org/web/19981203083935/http://www.hacktivism.org/
- http://mosaic.echonyc.com/~steven/hackers.html
- http://www.phrack.org/phrack/6/P06-03
- 4.http://www.phrack.org/phrack/14/P14-03
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activism
- http://www.thehacktivist.com/whatishacktivism.pdf
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacktivism
- http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-hacktivism.htm
- http://www.hellboundhackers.org
