Calls for peaceful protests from volunteers, including wearing the iconic Guy Fawkes masks
A day before its proposed street protests in 18 cities nationwide protesting “Internet censorship,” Anonymous India, the local group pledging allegiance to the infamous international network of hackers, held hectic parleys online to garner support.
Through the day, several volunteers pledged support on Facebook pages set up by the group for its ‘OpIndia' protests. The admins of the group also tweeted through the day through two prominent twitter handles — @op_indiarevenge and @anonDDoS — announcing last-minute change of plans with respect to venues and exhorted the volunteers to try and live stream the event through their mobile devices and pledge support ahead of the protests by posting photos of themselves wearing the iconic Guy Fawkes masks.
Anonymous was also forthcoming in interacting with media persons through an internet relay chat on its official blog — opindia.posterous.com. During the course of a chat earlier on Friday with this correspondent, Anonymous India members dismissed the possibility that authorities might identify the protesters who turn up on Saturday to be the hackers who launch the DDoS (Distributed denial of Service) attacks that bring down websites. “To be honest, there have been very few who have actually done a security breach,” one of the members said. (A pre-condition was laid out for the interview that the aliases should not be exposed while reporting.)
The hackers who participate in DDoS usually coordinate their attacks on target websites by running denial of service (DoS) applications simultaneously across several computers. “We never make people attack without their consent. We know how to cover our tracks.”
There was also a brief moment during the chat when one of the Anonymous members said: “Since DDoSing is not a crime nor a hack many people who are going will be safe.” However, another admin pointed out that it was in fact a cyber crime under the amendments to the I.T. Act of India (2008).
Apart from several youngsters signing up for protests, the Free Software Movement of India (www.fsmi.in) has pledged its support. Alagunambi Welkin, an executive committee member of Free Software Foundation (Tamil Nadu), who has pledged to participate in the protest on the Elliots Beach in Chennai on Saturday evening, said the support was purely issue-based and he, like most others in his group, had difference of opinion over the methods used by Anonymous.
“We are here to fight for the democracy of the Web. The freedom to share is a very critical component. But we don't believe in having to hide our identity for that. We are also against bringing down websites as a form of protest.”
Keywords: Internet censorship, Anonymous India protest,
I dont understand why are people making these hackers heros.What is our police
cyber cell doing??These people should be arrested.
The most important thing for the people of India at this hour is to have a nationwide protest against the CONSPIRACY of making India the 51st test and to make sure that the TRAITORS in Delhi and the media which is also supressing comments of TRUTH and misleading people are stopped from subjecting nation to slavery. INSTEAD, people are engaged in the STUPID and much less important issues like this one.
If in a free society that most democracies are, we have come to accept common codes for civilised behaviour. How then to reconcile the demand that internet must be any different?
While there is a genuine fear of the possibility of authoritarianism and government takeover of the cyberworld one cannot but laugh at the assumption and suggestion of protesters that in internet society laws of libel and criminal procedure cannot apply.
There is a fine line between democracy and mobocracy and that between merit and mediocrity. The rhetoric of the people calling for free software is fine but they cannot ask to escape punishment under law for stealing another's effort or demand anonimity to commit crime using internet.
Anonimity for expressing views that does not violate fundamental rights of others or for expressing support for victims of crime or demanding action against criminals who have percolated civil society including polity is alright but internet cannot be used for crime or libel.
Globalrevolution is looking for livestreams from June 9 India protests . got to livestream site slash globalrevolution and tell the chat you stream link.
The living condition of Indians have become unbearable due to price rise and corruption.It is time Indians start reacting.
Internet is not merely a tool , its a culmination of an evolutionary spiritual process
ultimately leading to the creation of God itself , today this creative process is
under serious threat . Internet has the omnipotence , omniscience qualities , it can
empower anyone anywhere , its by itself neutral , granting the wishes of those
who parcticipate in its rules . We can help it grow to a level , where it can replace
the entire debt ridden monetary networks , can create a one world . Its the
fulfillment of the dream of all the Gurus , Mahatma gandhi towards a one world of
love , equality , justice and compassion . Those at the seat of power across the
world think it to be a threat to their power and are passing laws on its censorship
, this is causing resentment and anguish across the net . Its time for all of us voice
our love for our Internet bhagvan , we want to do our sadhana with it freely ...
internet is a religion and we have a right to practice our religion freely
Progressive Indians must expose their frustration on the old guard corrupt and mockery politics and put an end to it.
It's time for a nationwide spring for democracy, transparency, human rights, rule of Law and freedom.
It's time for the Rule of Law to apply and investigate all political crimes and corruption and put an end to corrupt politicians.
Please Email the Editor