Social Protest and Cyber Attacks

Social protest, historically has been visible through marches and demonstrations and taken to the streets or corridors of government and even corporate offices throughout the world. Who can forget the civil rights movement here in the U.S.A. or the 1989 Tienanmen Square protests in the Peoples Republic of China where 100,000 gathered in civil resistance. Social activism, and civil resistance although non violent acts often evolved into violent encounters. A line from the Rolling Stones song may put that form of protest into perspective with the lyrics "I went down to the demonstration, to get my fair share of abuse".

Social protest is no longer found just in the streets. Cyber attacks on government, municipalities and large corporations are becoming more the choice of the digital generation as a non violent means of seeking change. Groups of hackers, although loosely organized have been using "hacktivism" as an alternative to physical protest effectively enough to disrupt or temporarily disable municipal and corporate websites creating at least major inconveniences. Most hacktivist cyber attacks are motivated by a perceived inhumane condition or denial of basic human rights.

Last week a group of hacktivists declared cyber war against the City of Orlando disrupting various websites including the Mayor's re election campaign and the city's largest redevelopment organization. The attacks were a response to the city's recent practice of arresting members of the Orlando based "Food Not Bombs" anti poverty group for feeding the homeless in one of the city's parks. Over the past 30 days police have arrested some 25 Food Not Bombs volunteers as they provide meals to homeless people. Members of Food Not Bombs released a statement condemning the cyberattacks saying "We have nothing to do with this kind of thing, what is being done is a distraction from the real issue at hand" . The group said that the mayor and the city council are attempting to "criminalize poverty" and intend to "hide the homeless".

Separately a group of hacktivists known as "Anonymous" takes credit and responsibility for the attacks. Although most protest movements are organized by the oppressed group, Anonymous has become known for it's denial of service attacks on prominent high traffic websites worldwide in conjunction with more conventional protests of other organizations. In November 2010, Anonymous conducted several cyber-attacks on the corporate giant MasterCard after the company pulled sponsorship from the anti-secrecy website Wikileaks.

Love it or hate it people will find a way to be heard whenever basic human rights and freedoms are jeopardized, marginalized or compromised. Cyber Attacks may be an effective evolution of peaceful social protest.

George Sinacori
GES Real Estate LLC