A Study of the Group Anonymous: Are they Hackers or Trolls?

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Modern scholars have in the recent decades engaged in the controversial debate on the actual classification of the group Anonymous. Some scholars classify the group as trolls while other associates it with hackers groups. As defined, hackers are individuals or groups that search and exploit the computer system weakness (Messmer 65). In most instances, hackers engage in discouraging and unappealing activities for multiple reasons including challenging the existing systems, protesting against the prevailing rules and regulations, and for profit making. On the other hand, trolls are groups of individuals who engage in the process of sowing discord on the internet through instigating arguments that aim at upsetting community members and leaders (Keith 11). Trolls are also popular for posting off-topic, extraneous, and inflammatory information on the internet. Although hackers and trolls are the main actors in the current threatening cyber crimes, the two groups have varying reasons for abusing the existing technology. Moreover, despite the existence of detailed and intensive strategies to address the two groups of crime, the actors have been outshining the global policy implementers and formulators in numerous occasions (Messmer 65). However, based on the available evidence, the Anonymous group is more of a hacker group than a troll group.
Historically, the Anonymous has been engaging in activities that qualifies the group as hacker group as opposed to troll organisation. The group began its operation on December 2010 by attacking the MasterCard for blocking the Wiki Leaks website donations (Coleman 1). In January 2011, the Anonymous group attack the Tunisian government website for using illegal means against protesters. In February...

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Messmer, Ellen. "'Decoy Nets' Gain Backers in Battle Against Hackers." vol.18, no.10 (2001) 1-66. Network World 8th May 2014. Web: http://search.proquest.com/business/docview/215973549/475BF353A3C04828PQ/8?a ccountid=45049
Norton, Quinn. Inside Anonymous, Wired ProQuest vol.1, no. 3,(2013). 8th May 2014. Web: http://search.proquest.com/docview/1027765513?accountid=13044
Phillips, Whitney. The House That Fox Built: Anonymous, Spectacle, and Cycles of Amplification.Television & New Media vol. 1, no. 14, (2013), 494-509. 8th May 2014. Web: https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/12204/phillips_houset hatfoxbuilt_2012.pdf?sequence=1

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