Why isn't Anonymous helping us against SOpa and PIPA

[Furioso]

If the group that's known for hacking and other criminal behavior tried to stop a bill called the "Stop Online Piracy Act" I'm pretty sure everyone would immediately rally against them without looking up what SOPA actually is

 

[Robert Ewing]

They have been pitting in as we all have, by signing petitions. That's all they can do at the moment without making things worse, they know that this bill is the shit.

They will absolutely slaughter it if it passes though...

 

[falcon1985]

I'd say we're doing well enough on our own. Let them sit this one out, they can unleash hell if it does pass. (Consider it the chemical warfare option if you will.)

 

[Syntax Man]

There likely staying out of this because they know that with their reputation their presence would likely do more harm that good, though most anon's are privately doing their part to support the anti-SOPA movement. Course if it passes you can expect that anon will be at the forefront of the shitstorm that will break out across the internet.

 

[thespyisdead]

because it'll be supper ineffective... more specifically the case that happened in Finland not too long ago... anonymous got jack shit(pardon my language) done with their threats and actions

 

[Laser Priest]

The government hates them and their presence would harm this cause.

Also, I don't think they've done anything helpful in ages. I'm not entirely sure they've done anything in ages.

 

[95spartans]

Wasn't "Operation Blackout" (the websites shutting down on the 18th) originally anonymous's idea?

 

[Realitycrash]

I'm glad they aren't. They wouldn't be helpful, they would be damaging to the cause. Whatever Anon could or will do, the Electronic Frontier Organization (the one that let you send an automatic letter, signed with your name to your congressman, if you lived in the states) have already done it a million times better. The entire Black Out was a million times better than whatever Anon can do as well.

Please, stay out of this. It will only serve to discredit the cause.

 

[cora mcstrap]

Anonymous getting involved would ensure SOPA gets past. They are as much enemies of the internet as SOPA.

 

[FalloutJack]

Seriously, They've occasionally been dicks and have definitely done stuff to gain the hate of many.
But These two acts are the sum of everything they hate, if they attacked Jean Simmons because went against their ideals, why aren't they attacking something that threatens to destroy the internet by massive Censorship.
Oh and here's another thing
on a different train of thought Who the hell does the US congress think its is? the internet is everywhere, like in Canada. SO they are imposing on international affairs, seriously this isn't legal.

I'd like to give you an answer in the form of V For Vendetta, as in the Alan Moore comic. You see, whether or not Anonymous thinks they're a load of Vs or just a big load...and regardless of whether or not they actually have their rather tenuous act together, they have to know that this is the part where you have to let The People act. This is not their stage. This is the people-stand-up-for-their-rights scene. If they show up now, it's ill-timed. To listen to the masses for their opinion - and there IS a big mass involved - is the carrot. Anonymous is the stick. It's an ugly stick, but that's what they are.

Put simply, this is the part where politicians get shocked by how much the public is against them. This is the time in which the common man stands shoulder to shoulder on a crowded street in protest. This is where a man marches up to a pedestal and makes a speech that starts with the historic words "I have a meme...". If Anonymous were to show up AS Anonymous, there would be alot of...


...reactionary nonsense and all logic or sense would be thrown out the windows as guns are drawn and they fire into the crowd.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Do you think their help would actually help here? Or do more harm than good?

Of course it'd do more harm then good, but since when has Anonymous ever had the the collective intelligence or wisdom required to realize that??

 

[seraphy]

Do you think their help would actually help here? Or do more harm than good?

Of course it'd do more harm then good, but since when has Anonymous ever had the the collective intelligence or wisdom required to realize that??

This time? Clearly!

Besides they really aren't that bad.

 

[Whoolpurse]

As long as it keeps going the right way without them, though if it do passes, I hope they'll be the spearhead in the virtual holocaust to come.

Maybe I'd even go get me one of them masks.

 

[RagTagBand]

Who says they're not? I'm pretty sure that "what anonymous is doing" isn't forwarded around the Internet in a little news bulletin.

 

[ResonanceGames]

Remember this; they are regarded by the American Government as little more than cyber terrorists. Having them oppose a bill would give senators a strong reason to support the bill (the enemy of my enemy is my friends).

Naw, doesn't really work like that. Congress wouldn't be scared off from not supporting a bill just because some idiot hackers came out against it, too. Just like liberal congresspeople don't vote for wars just because racist morons like David Duke and Alex Jones are against them.

Actually, that sort of is how it works. As a rule, governments don't give in to terrorists. If they do, that legitimises terror as a way of terrorists getting what they want.

The example of this I have readily to hand is of the suffragettes in Britain (1911-ish) who commited terrorism (not killing, stuff like vandalism and burning post) to try and get women the vote. However, they actually turned a lot of MPs against the vote, and one of the reasons for this was because if the British government gave in to suffragette terrorism, that would make terrorism seem viable to the Irish nationalists.

First of all, you're conflating a major social upheaval with a minor group of hackers in the modern U.S. A better comparison might be that the murders of abortion doctors in the U.S. have had zero effect on blocking the pro-life agenda. In fact, they gained some major legislation over the last two election cycles, most recently in New Hampshire.

Secondly, there has been a very broad outpouring of legitimate grassroots support against the bill. If it were being spearheaded by terrorists you might have a point.

This isn't a case of a terrorist group holding hostages demanding that Israel be obliterated. Anonymous is a minor group of vandals who happen to be very good at gaining disproportionate press coverage for themselves. That's it.

 

[Phisi]

Anonymous is good when the threat cannot be solved by the public. Kinda like don't wage war until you have tried all other alternatives because war is not that fun. If SOPA does pass then I would welcome their support though because we would need all the support we can get.

 

[Lunar Templar]

while I'm surprised they haven't done anything, it's probably for the best. mostly cause i donno what they could do to actually help the cause with out hurting it at the same time.

 

[Whoolpurse]

I been searching a bit, I don't know if any of these anonymous websites are legit anyone that associates themselves with anonymous, but the sites I did find, Just includes some updates on the PIPA and SOPA situation, updated somewhat oftenly too, I think they're staying the hell away, they must be frightened to become those we would blame if the bills passed.

 

[balanovich]

Seriously, They've occasionally been dicks and have definitely done stuff to gain the hate of many.
But These two acts are the sum of everything they hate, if they attacked Jean Simmons because went against their ideals, why aren't they attacking something that threatens to destroy the internet by massive Censorship.
Oh and here's another thing
on a different train of thought Who the hell does the US congress think its is? the internet is everywhere, like in Canada. SO they are imposing on international affairs, seriously this isn't legal.

Anonymous are criminals, and as you said, are hated. If they go against something, that something will gain support. It's like having Osama ***** against the patriot act.

And SOPA doesn't really affect other countries. It remove (or block)"bad" website from DNS database inside the US. In Canada you should be pretty much unaffected because there are DNSs in Canada that wouldn't be SOPA compliant.

 

[foryth]

Most likely every "Anonymous" person is fighting this, theyre just not being anonymous about it.

Also, while it is US legislature that is in contest here, it affects the US, which is where ICANN is located (top level domain name servers) and generally the other TLDS follow ICANN architecture/recommendations. If ICANN is controlled by the government then everyones internet is affected.