[[Image:Anonymous in Guy Fawkes.jpg|right|thumb|Members of Anonymous wearing Guy Fawkes masks]]'''Anonymous''' is the name given to an online [[social justice]]<ref>[https://medium.com/communication-new-media/anonymous-the-hacktivist-social-justice-movement-8c0deb57fd04 Anonymous: The Hacktivist Social Justice Movement]</ref> collective (described by supporters as "hacktivists", opponents as terrorists) who carry out attacks on various websites, usually employing various forms of [[network abuse]], amongst other general Internet activities.
The group gained notoriety in recent years with its participation in Operation Payback, which included a series of actions in defence of whistle-blowing organization Wikileaks and its figurehead [[Julian Assange]], Operation Sony and from [[Westboro Baptist Church]]'s declaration of war on Anonymous, which they mostly ignored.
In its early days its focus was focused on "[[Internet trolling|trolling]]" various websites,<ref>http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=459214</ref> usually by including offensive or inappropriate material on the websites of groups with whom they disagree.
In 2008, in response to a [[Tom Cruise]] video,<ref>httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCHkHZIyrdo</ref> Anonymous became more homogeneous in its opposition to the Church of [[Scientology]].<ref>httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCbKv9yiLiQ</ref> Known as Operation Chanology, it included Denial-of-Service attacks, real life protests and mass publication and spread of information usually withheld by members of the church.
In 2010, it rose to notoriety due to Anonymous' actions against those who opposed copyright violation. Operation Payback was initially about using network abuse in a vain attempt to intimidate large corporations, and later became involved with the support of Wikileaks and Julian Assange.
As Anonymous is a collective, rather than a group, it has no official beliefs and ideals. This has begun to change in last year due to a cell within Anonymous, called AnonOps, carrying out a lot of the operations, but as a collective they are still loosely defined. Many members of Anonymous will reject any such group attempting to be more identifiable in the general body.
However, Anonymous, at least certain segments, is known for its support of certain types of freedom of information, freedom of speech, personal freedom, transparency within the government and universal access to human rights.[http://anonyops.com/Whoarewe.htm]
== Operation Chanology ==
The attacks received from criticism from the Pirate Party UK and the United States Pirate Party due to their support for a democratic opposition.[http://news.softpedia.com/news/Pirate-Parties-Ask-Anonymous-to-End-DDoS-Campaign-168050.shtml][http://news.softpedia.com/news/Anonymous-to-Pirate-Parties-We-Won-t-Stop-168306.shtml]
After Wikileaks released the secret cables many of those who opposed Wikileaks, or retracted their affiliation [httphttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8190541/WikiLeaks-cyberwar-on-Visa-and-MasterCard-disrupts-Christmas-shopping-in-Operation-Payback.html] due to government pressure, became the next targets. The concept of Freedom of Information was supported by Wikileaks so those who opposed the group became targets, but also those who were pressured into retracting by government forces (the US government was blamed significantly for this) opened up a knowledge of a corruption within these governments, due to their intervention in private business.
These Operation also spun Operation Avenge Assange [http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/12/06/anonymous_launches_pro_wikileaks_campaign/], an operation against those who targeted and victimised Julian Assange after the cable leaks.
== Westboro Baptist Church ==
On February 16, 2011, the [[Westboro Baptist Church]] (WBC) issued a declaration of war against the group Anonymous. WBC claimed that Anonymous had threatened to start a war with their website and church. This caused much disquiet by antagonizing the trolls, and the violation of the idea of Freedom of Speech, a member of Anonymous called Topiary agreed to speak on the David Pakman Show on February 24.<ref>[httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZJwSjor4hM]</ref>
On the show Anonymous explained that it initially had no interest in WBC because it considered them unimportant trolls, but after being harassed on the show, the group replaced their WBC's websites with a message explaining their lack of interest.<ref>{{cite news|url=httphttps://www.salon.com/2011/02/25/westboro_baptist_church_anonymous_website/|title=Anonymous shuts down Westboro Baptist Church site — during a live interview|work=Salon|first=Adam Clark|last=Estes|date=February 25, 2011|accessdate=October 19, 2012}}</ref>
== Anonymous and the Arab Spring ==
==Day of Rage==
During the [[2016 U.S. presidential election]], Anonymous called for a [[Days of Rage|Day of Rage]] protest,<ref>[httphttps://dailycaller.com/2016/07/12/group-calls-for-blm-day-of-rage-protests-friday-in-37-cities/ Group Calls For BLM ‘Day Of Rage’ Protests Friday In 37 Cities], [[Daily Caller]]</ref> which is a title used by protesters of [[Occupy Wall Street]] as well as Arab Spring activists, but the title originates with the communist terrorist group [[Weather Underground]].
== Antisemitism ==
On April 8, 2013 the national memorial day of the victims of the [[Holocaust]], Anonymous started a cyberattack against [[Israel]].<ref>httphttps://www.foxnews.com/tech/2013/04/07/anonymous-hackers-launch-cyberattack-on-israeli-sites/</ref>
== Symbols ==
In 2009, Anonymous adopted the motto "We are Anonymous. [[We Are Legion]]. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us". Contrary to what the [[Bible]] teaches, Anonymous rejects the concept of [[forgiveness]].
In public, members of Anonymous usually wear [[Guy Fawkes]] masks, made famous by the comic and movie ''[[V for Vendetta]]''. Fawkes was an English terrorist who attempted to assassinate members of parliament.
==See also==
== External links ==
* [httphttps://www.foxnews.com/tech/2012/01/19/anonymous-hackers-claim-to-take-down-justice-department-website-in-retaliation/'Anonymous' hackers take down Justice Department site over Megaupload shutdown] {{terrorism}}
[[Category:Internet]]