If you are not accepted in the existing world, create your own space – seems to be the byword of hacker group, Anonymous.
After being banned by Google+, Anonymous’ response has been to declare a social network of its own, which they say won’t be subjected to censorship or oppression.
Anonymous announced the suspension on a Tumblr blog, but it didn’t say exactly why it lost Google product privileges, writing simply: “Didn’t take long to get banned from Google+ our Gmail is also gone…”
Apparently, ‘Your Anon News’ was kicked off by Google+ because it violated Google’s community standards. All of Anonymous’ other Google accounts — Gmail, Google Calendar, Picasa, YouTube, etc. — have been suspended as well, because all Google products are linked together.
Anonymous has listed 17 members who it says will develop AnonPlus. However, it notes that the list of developers could change “daily if not hourly.”
As of now, if you visit AnonPlus.com you will find a splash page which has little information. You cannot register and even click any links. The only clickable link on the page is to the development forum at the bottom of the page. The site is in Revision 0.5 Alpha at the moment.
AnonPlus’ message on the front page dubs their site a ‘revolutionary’, new social network where there is no fear…of censorship…of blackout…nor of holding back. “This project is not overnight and will take many of those out there who simply want a better Internet. We will not be stopped by those looking to troll or those willing to stop the spreading of the truth. The site is for everyone, and not just for members of Anonymous.”
The hacktivist group said in a post on a subsidiary site that activists being banned from sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube is the result of “walk(ing) to a different beat of the drum.” The hacker group said on AnonPlus that “the sheep era is over. The interwebz are no longer your prison.”
Anonymous has gained much exposure in the last year with hacker attacks on PayPal, Visa, Amazon, Bank of America, and various world governments. The group was blamed for the huge attack on Sony’s PlayStation Network but denied involvement. Anonymous also promised to continue where the notorious LulzSec hacking group left off after it made headlines attacking websites of the U.S. Senate, CIA, and games like Minecraft and EVE Online.
Google+ rates transparency over anonymity and it is no surprise that a group of unnamed hackers were kicked off. Conversely, Anonymous has an active Twitter presence with its @YourAnonNews account, which has more than 19,000 followers. It remains to be seen whether a social network for hackers will change social networking as we know it.