As an avid follower of political goings-on, I have a keen interest in this weeks topic of political cyberactivism. As with many of the topics explored over the last six weeks, cyberactivism is a new-aged approach to a pre-existing activity that has been bolstered by the reach and vigour that the internet provides. Defined simply by Ayers and McCaughey as referring to the forms of activism done online, cyberactivism is essentially exactly as the name suggests (Ayers, McCaughey, 2003). With the assistance of the internet, individuals and groups are now able to voice their political opinions and concerns to a large audience of potential convertees, allowing for campaigns and revolutions to gain traction in a way that would have had the suffragettes shedding tears of joy. Quickly becoming a critical element of any political or social movement hoping to achieve an end goal, cyberactivism aids in transcending the barriers associated with traditional activism.
Entire revolutions have begun and transpired as a result of online activism. In light of the controversial election of Donald Trump as President of the United States in November of 2016, millions across America and the world protested in marches and acts of online activism. (Carson, 2017). Orchestrated and entirely organised online via Facebook pages and the official website, men and women were invited to join the core rally in Washington DC or organise a sister rally in the large cities of America and in capital cities around the world (Women's March, 2017). The marches bought attention to the concerns of the people and worked to bring together a country after a brutal election campaign characterised by division and bigotry. A response such as this was hard to ignore with mainstream media channels as well as participants live streaming the events.
Whilst cyberactivism is often seen as something used in order to unite likeminded individuals in an attempt to push a specific agenda, the introduction of the internet has also given rise to cyberactivism's edgier older brother; hacktivism (Sands, 2016). Security researcher Dorothy Denning describes it as "the marriage of hacking and activism", more specifically it is the exploitation of computer technology in order to achieve a political agenda, through often legally ambiguous means. The group that popularised the concept and is most synonymous with hacktivist activities is the band of international activist hackers known as Anonymous. Credited with a number of calculated, large scale internet attacks on large corporations, governments, religious groups and individuals, the anarchist collective has developed a brand personality that centers around controversy, combating censorship and the promotion of freedom of speech. The group was recently praised for its efforts in hacking ISIS members twitter accounts following the Orlando nightclub massacre carried out by an ISIS sympathiser. It too posted a video message directed as ISIS following the November 2015 attacks in Paris that left over 100 civilians dead. The video warned the terrorist group that they should expect, "massive cyber attacks. War is declared. Get prepared" (Griffin, 2015). They followed this up by shutting down recruiting websites, infiltrating twitter accounts and causing general mayhem to the groups communication systems. Whether it be groups such as Anonymous that use their immense knowledge of communication systems to cause anarchy and defy authority in the name of freedom, or the mobilisation of people through the use of the slightly tamer cyberactivism, it is undeniable that the internet has fostered and facilitated a form of activism that previously was not possible.
REFERENCES:
Carson, E. (2017). How Facebook, Twitter jumpstarted the Women's March. [online] CNET. Available at: https://www.cnet.com/au/news/facebook-twitter-instagram-womens-march/ [Accessed 10 Aug. 2017].
Griffin, A. (2015). PARIS ATTACK: ANONYMOUS LAUNCHES ‘BIGGEST OPERATION EVER’ AGAINST ISIS. [online] Independent. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/paris-attacks-anonymous-launches-its-biggest-operation-ever-against-isis-promises-to-hunt-down-a6735811.html [Accessed 10 Aug. 2017].
McCaughey, M. and Ayers, M. (2013). Cyberactivism: online activism in theory and practice. New York: Routledge.
Sands, G. (2016). What to Know About the Worldwide Hacker Group ‘Anonymous’. [online] ABC News. Available at: http://abcnews.go.com/US/worldwide-hacker-group-anonymous/story?id=37761302 [Accessed 11 Aug. 2017].
Sherer, E. (2017). Cyberactivism, Its Past and Its Future. [online] Digital America. Available at: http://www.digitalamerica.org/cyberactivism-its-past-and-its-future-elizabeth-sherer/ [Accessed 10 Aug. 2017].
Women's March (2017). SISTER MARCHES. [online] Womens March. Available at: https://www.womensmarch.com/sisters [Accessed 9 Aug. 2017].
