DOCSLIB.ORG

The Case of Anonymous and Project Chanology a Thes

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Case of Anonymous and Project Chanology a Thes New Directions in Networked Activism and Online Social Movement Mobilization: The Case of Anonymous and Project Chanology A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts Patrick C. Underwood June 2009 © 2009 Patrick C. Underwood. All Rights Reserved. 2 This thesis titled New Directions in Networked Activism and Online Social Movement Mobilization: The Case of Anonymous and Project Chanology by PATRICK C. UNDERWOOD has been approved for the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and the College of Arts and Sciences by Howard T. Welser Assistant Professor of Sociology Benjamin M. Ogles Dean, College of Arts and Sciences 3 ABSTRACT UNDERWOOD, PATRICK C., M.A., June 2009, Sociology New Directions in Networked Activism and Online Social Movement Mobilization: The Case of Anonymous and Project Chanology (242 pp.) Director of Thesis: Howard T. Welser The present study explores the structural aspects of online communities and the potential of online communications technologies for social movement mobilization. This is accomplished through an examination of the online collective known as Anonymous and this group’s social movement activism targeted against the Church of Scientology. The research is primarily concerned with answering questions of how the social structural contexts of Anonymous as an online community influenced the growth and development of Project Chanology, how Anonymous is able to establish insider status and group boundaries without access to traditional markers of identity, and what, if any, form of leadership developed within Chanology. To answer these questions, a hybrid methodology consisting of a qualitative case study and network analysis is developed. Results indicate that Project Chanology was a highly fluid movement possessing an informal, cell based leadership structure and that Anonymous was able to achieve stable boundaries by leveraging mastery over the group’s esoteric culture as a marker of insider status. Approved: _____________________________________________________________ Howard T. Welser Assistant Professor of Sociology 4 Dedication To my mother and father. I owe everything to you. 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to offer the most heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the members of my thesis committee. To Dr. Welser, your constant advice, suggestions, and sense of humor about the project were invaluable. To Dr. Shelly, thank you for your guidance and for letting me know when I was being overly ambitious. And to Dr. Brown, thank you for all your advice and the valuable perspective you brought to the project. I cannot thank the committee enough for all of their help. Finally I would like to thank the department of Sociology and the department faculty for all that I have learned and for all the opportunities I have been given. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ 3 DEDICATION .................................................................................................................... 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................. 5 LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................. 9 LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 11 CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH QUESTIONS ....................................................................... 19 First Research Question ................................................................................................ 19 Second Research Question ............................................................................................ 22 Third Research Question .............................................................................................. 24 CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................... 29 Online Communities Defined ....................................................................................... 30 Online Identity .............................................................................................................. 48 The Online Self ......................................................................................................... 48 The Production of Group Identity ............................................................................. 49 Production of Group Boundaries .............................................................................. 52 Online Social Movement Activism ............................................................................... 55 Historical Definition of Social Movements .............................................................. 55 The Use of Online Communications Technologies by Social Movements .............. 60 Historical Conflicts with Scientology ....................................................................... 66 7 Social Network Analysis in Online Settings ................................................................. 68 CHAPTER 4: METHODOLOGY .................................................................................... 72 Selection of Methodological Techniques ..................................................................... 72 Qualitative Case Study .................................................................................................. 73 Selection of Research Sites ....................................................................................... 78 Qualitative Data Collection ....................................................................................... 83 Network Analysis ......................................................................................................... 92 Data Collection ......................................................................................................... 93 Overall Network Measures ....................................................................................... 96 Nodal Attributes ........................................................................................................ 99 CHAPTER 5: RESULTS ................................................................................................ 110 A Narrative Account of Chanology ............................................................................ 110 Precedents ............................................................................................................... 111 Chanology Conceived ............................................................................................. 117 Online Attacks ........................................................................................................ 129 Addition of Offline Tactics ..................................................................................... 142 Network Data .............................................................................................................. 161 CHAPTER 6: ANALYSIS ............................................................................................. 169 First Research Question .............................................................................................. 169 Second Research Question .......................................................................................... 179 Third Research Question ............................................................................................ 186 CHAPTER 7: DISCUSSION .......................................................................................... 204 8 Caveats ........................................................................................................................ 209 Future Directions for Research ................................................................................... 213 CHAPTER 8: CONCLUSION ....................................................................................... 217 WORKS CITED ............................................................................................................. 222 APPENDIX A: SCRIPT FOR ANALYSIS OF NETWORK DATA ............................ 233 APPENDIX B: CHANOLOGY RELATED WEB SITES .............................................. 240 9 LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1: Selected Network Attributes ...........................................................................166 Table 2: Degree Related Network Measures ................................................................167 Table 3: Influence Related Network Measures .............................................................167 Table 4: Clustering Variables .......................................................................................168 Table 5: Community Involvement Variables… ............................................................168 10 LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1: Activity of selected web sites ..........................................................................81 Figure 2: Posting volume for “Project Chanology” ........................................................96 Figure 3: Complete cyclic triad .......................................................................................99 Figure 4: Site traffic at www.scientology.org ..............................................................131
Load more

Recommended publications
  • How We Became Legion: Burke's Identification and Anonymous By
    How We Became Legion: Burke's Identification and Anonymous by Débora Cristina Ramos Antunes da Silva A thesis presented to the University of Waterloo in fulfilment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Arts in English - Rhetoric and Communication Design Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2013 © Débora Cristina Ramos Antunes da Silva 2013 I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. ii Abstract This thesis presents a study of how identification, according to Kenneth Burke's theory, can be observed in the media-related practices promoted by the cyber-activist collective Anonymous. Identification is the capacity of community-building through the use of shared interests. Burke affirms that, as human beings are essentially social, identification is the very aim of any human interaction. Cyber-activism deeply relies on this capacity to promote and legitimise its campaigns. In the case of Anonymous, the collective became extremely popular and is now a frequent presence even in street protests, usually organised online, around the world. Here, I argue that this power was possible through the use of identification, which helped attract a large number of individuals to the collective. Anonymous was particularly skilled in its capacity to create an ideology for each campaign, which worked well to set up a perfect enemy who should be fought against by any people, despite their demographic or social status. Other forms of identification were also present and important.
    [Show full text]
  • BUGS in the SYSTEM a Primer on the Software Vulnerability Ecosystem and Its Policy Implications
    ANDI WILSON, ROSS SCHULMAN, KEVIN BANKSTON, AND TREY HERR BUGS IN THE SYSTEM A Primer on the Software Vulnerability Ecosystem and its Policy Implications JULY 2016 About the Authors About New America New America is committed to renewing American politics, Andi Wilson is a policy analyst at New America’s Open prosperity, and purpose in the Digital Age. We generate big Technology Institute, where she researches and writes ideas, bridge the gap between technology and policy, and about the relationship between technology and policy. curate broad public conversation. We combine the best of With a specific focus on cybersecurity, Andi is currently a policy research institute, technology laboratory, public working on issues including encryption, vulnerabilities forum, media platform, and a venture capital fund for equities, surveillance, and internet freedom. ideas. We are a distinctive community of thinkers, writers, researchers, technologists, and community activists who Ross Schulman is a co-director of the Cybersecurity believe deeply in the possibility of American renewal. Initiative and senior policy counsel at New America’s Open Find out more at newamerica.org/our-story. Technology Institute, where he focuses on cybersecurity, encryption, surveillance, and Internet governance. Prior to joining OTI, Ross worked for Google in Mountain About the Cybersecurity Initiative View, California. Ross has also worked at the Computer The Internet has connected us. Yet the policies and and Communications Industry Association, the Center debates that surround the security of our networks are for Democracy and Technology, and on Capitol Hill for too often disconnected, disjointed, and stuck in an Senators Wyden and Feingold. unsuccessful status quo.
    [Show full text]
  • The Changing Face of American White Supremacy Our Mission: to Stop the Defamation of the Jewish People and to Secure Justice and Fair Treatment for All
    A report from the Center on Extremism 09 18 New Hate and Old: The Changing Face of American White Supremacy Our Mission: To stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. ABOUT T H E CENTER ON EXTREMISM The ADL Center on Extremism (COE) is one of the world’s foremost authorities ADL (Anti-Defamation on extremism, terrorism, anti-Semitism and all forms of hate. For decades, League) fights anti-Semitism COE’s staff of seasoned investigators, analysts and researchers have tracked and promotes justice for all. extremist activity and hate in the U.S. and abroad – online and on the ground. The staff, which represent a combined total of substantially more than 100 Join ADL to give a voice to years of experience in this arena, routinely assist law enforcement with those without one and to extremist-related investigations, provide tech companies with critical data protect our civil rights. and expertise, and respond to wide-ranging media requests. Learn more: adl.org As ADL’s research and investigative arm, COE is a clearinghouse of real-time information about extremism and hate of all types. COE staff regularly serve as expert witnesses, provide congressional testimony and speak to national and international conference audiences about the threats posed by extremism and anti-Semitism. You can find the full complement of COE’s research and publications at ADL.org. Cover: White supremacists exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Emancipation Park during the ‘Unite the Right’ rally August 12, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia.
    [Show full text]
  • The Miscavige Legal Statements: a Study in Perjury, Lies and Misdirection
    SPEAKING OUT ABOUT ORGANIZED SCIENTOLOGY ~ The Collected Works of L. H. Brennan ~ Volume 1 The Miscavige Legal Statements: A Study in Perjury, Lies and Misdirection Written by Larry Brennan [Edited & Compiled by Anonymous w/ <3] Originally posted on: Operation Clambake Message board WhyWeProtest.net Activism Forum The Ex-scientologist Forum 2006 - 2009 Page 1 of 76 Table of Contents Preface: The Real Power in Scientology - Miscavige's Lies ...................................................... 3 Introduction to Scientology COB Public Record Analysis....................................................... 12 David Miscavige’s Statement #1 .............................................................................................. 14 David Miscavige’s Statement #2 .............................................................................................. 16 David Miscavige’s Statement #3 .............................................................................................. 20 David Miscavige’s Statement #4 .............................................................................................. 21 David Miscavige’s Statement #5 .............................................................................................. 24 David Miscavige’s Statement #6 .............................................................................................. 27 David Miscavige’s Statement #7 .............................................................................................. 29 David Miscavige’s Statement #8 .............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Topics in Computational Mathematics
    Topics in Computational Mathematics Notes for Computational Mathematics (MA1611) Information Technology (AS1054) Dr G Bowtell Contents 1 Curve Sketching 1 1.1 CurveSketching ................................ 1 1.2 IncreasingandDecreasingFunction . .... 1 1.3 StationaryPoints ................................ 2 1.4 ClassificationofStationaryPoints. ...... 3 1.5 PointofInflection-DefinitionandComment . ..... 4 1.6 Asymptotes................................... 5 2 Root Finding 7 2.1 Introduction................................... 7 2.2 Existence of solution of f(x) = 0 ....................... 8 2.3 Iterative method to solve f(x) = 0 byrearrangement . 10 2.4 IterationusingExcel-Method1. ... 11 2.5 Newton’s Method to solve f(x) = 0 ...................... 12 2.6 IterationusingExcel-Method2. ... 14 2.7 SimultaneousEquations- linearand non-linear . ........ 15 2.7.1 Linearsimultaneousequations . 15 2.7.2 MatrixproductandinverseusingExcel . .. 18 2.7.3 Non-linearsimultaneousequations . ... 20 3 Financial Functions in Excel 27 3.1 Introduction................................... 27 3.2 GeometricProgression . 27 3.3 BasicCompoundInterest . 28 3.4 BasicInvestmentProblem. 29 3.5 BasicFinancialWorksheetFunctionsinExcel . ....... 31 3.6 Further Financial Worksheet Functionsin Excel . ........ 34 4 Curvefitting-InterpolationandExtrapolation 39 4.1 Introduction................................... 39 4.2 LinearSpline .................................. 42 4.3 CubicSpline-natural ............................. 45 4.4 LinearLeastSquaresFitting. ... 49 4.4.1 Linear
    [Show full text]
  • Post-Truth Protest: How 4Chan Cooked Up...Zagate Bullshit | Tuters
    5/5/2019 Post-Truth Protest: How 4chan Cooked Up the Pizzagate Bullshit | Tuters | M/C Journal M/C JOURNAL Home > Vol 21, No 3 (2018) > Tuters ARTICLE TOOLS HOME Post-Truth Protest: How 4chan Cooked Up the Pizzagate Bullshit PRINT THIS ARTICLE Marc Tuters, Emilija Jokubauskaitė, Daniel Bach CURRENT ISSUE INDEXING METADATA HOW TO CITE ITEM UPCOMING ISSUES Introduction FINDING REFERENCES ARCHIVES On 4 December 2016, a man entered a Washington, D.C., pizza parlor armed with an AR­15 assault rifle in an attempt to save the victims of an alleged satanic pedophilia ring run by EMAIL THIS ARTICLE CONTRIBUTORS prominent members of the Democratic Party. While the story had already been discredited (LOGIN REQUIRED) (LaCapria), at the time of the incident, nearly half of Trump voters were found to give a ABOUT M/C JOURNAL measure of credence to the same rumors that had apparently inspired the gunman (Frankovic). EMAIL THE AUTHOR Was we will discuss here, the bizarre conspiracy theory known as "Pizzagate" had in fact (LOGIN REQUIRED) USER HOME originated a month earlier on 4chan/pol/, a message forum whose very raison d’être is to protest against “political correctness” of the liberal establishment, and which had recently ABOUT THE AUTHORS JOURNAL CONTENT become a hub for “loose coordination” amongst members the insurgent US ‘alt­right’ movement Marc Tuters SEARCH (Hawley 48). Over a period of 25 hours beginning on 3 November 2016, contributors to the /pol/ forum combed through a cache of private e­mails belonging to Hillary Clinton’s campaign https://oilab.eu manager John Podesta, obtained by Russian hackers (Franceschi­Bicchierai) and leaked by University of Amsterdam SEARCH SCOPE Julian Assange (Wikileaks).
    [Show full text]
  • Download Download
    Proceedings of the Fifteenth International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media (ICWSM 2021) A Large Open Dataset from the Parler Social Network Max Aliapoulios1, Emmi Bevensee2, Jeremy Blackburn3, Barry Bradlyn4, Emiliano De Cristofaro5, Gianluca Stringhini6, Savvas Zannettou7 1New York University, 2SMAT, 3Binghamton University, 4University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 5University College London, 6Boston University, 7Max Planck Institute for Informatics [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Abstract feasible in technical terms to create a new social media plat- Parler is as an “alternative” social network promoting itself form, but marketing the platform towards specific polarized as a service that allows to “speak freely and express yourself communities is an extremely successful strategy to bootstrap openly, without fear of being deplatformed for your views.” a user base. In other words, there is a subset of users on Twit- Because of this promise, the platform become popular among ter, Facebook, Reddit, etc., that will happily migrate to a new users who were suspended on mainstream social networks platform, especially if it advertises moderation policies that for violating their terms of service, as well as those fearing do not restrict the growth and spread of political polariza- censorship. In particular, the service was endorsed by several tion, conspiracy theories, extremist ideology, hateful and vi- conservative public figures, encouraging people to migrate olent speech, and mis- and dis-information. from traditional social networks. After the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, Parler has been progressively de- Parler.
    [Show full text]
  • BUGS in the SYSTEM a Primer on the Software Vulnerability Ecosystem and Its Policy Implications
    ANDI WILSON, ROSS SCHULMAN, KEVIN BANKSTON, AND TREY HERR BUGS IN THE SYSTEM A Primer on the Software Vulnerability Ecosystem and its Policy Implications JULY 2016 About the Authors About New America New America is committed to renewing American politics, Andi Wilson is a policy analyst at New America’s Open prosperity, and purpose in the Digital Age. We generate big Technology Institute, where she researches and writes ideas, bridge the gap between technology and policy, and about the relationship between technology and policy. curate broad public conversation. We combine the best of With a specific focus on cybersecurity, Andi is currently a policy research institute, technology laboratory, public working on issues including encryption, vulnerabilities forum, media platform, and a venture capital fund for equities, surveillance, and internet freedom. ideas. We are a distinctive community of thinkers, writers, researchers, technologists, and community activists who Ross Schulman is a co-director of the Cybersecurity believe deeply in the possibility of American renewal. Initiative and senior policy counsel at New America’s Open Find out more at newamerica.org/our-story. Technology Institute, where he focuses on cybersecurity, encryption, surveillance, and Internet governance. Prior to joining OTI, Ross worked for Google in Mountain About the Cybersecurity Initiative View, California. Ross has also worked at the Computer The Internet has connected us. Yet the policies and and Communications Industry Association, the Center debates that surround the security of our networks are for Democracy and Technology, and on Capitol Hill for too often disconnected, disjointed, and stuck in an Senators Wyden and Feingold. unsuccessful status quo.
    [Show full text]
  • Techmatters: Further Adventures in the Googleverse: Exploring the Google Labs
    LOEX Quarterly Volume 31 TechMatters Further Adventures in the Googleverse: Exploring the Google Labs Krista Graham, Central Michigan University Little did I know when I set out to write my last Tech price as well as compare prices between online retailers. In Matters column that the folks at Google were going to addition, Froogle provides store and product reviews and steal my thunder by announcing not one, but two, signifi- ratings. Overall, Froogle can be a very useful tool for stu- cant development initiatives. Over the last few months, dents and general consumers looking for product informa- these two projects dubbed Google Scholar and Google tion. Print have been a major topic of conversation in libraries, on library discussion lists, and even in the national press. Discussion and debate regarding the implications and Google Deskbar potential impact of these new search tools on libraries, Google deskbar is an application that allows users to search librarians, and library services abound. But where did the web without opening a web browser. Similar in concept they come from? Although it may seem as though these to the Google toolbar, the deskbar program places a search two developments sprang fully formed from the techno- box in the taskbar that appears at the bottom of every Win- logical ooze, they actually started in a lesser known, (but dows screen. Search results appear in a “mini-viewer” that mighty powerful), corner of the Googleverse know as the allows users to preview search results prior to launching a Google Labs. browser session. Using the deskbar, a student writing a re- search paper in Word could quickly use Google’s diction- ary, calculator, or web search features without leaving his/ What is Google Labs? her document to “check the web”.
    [Show full text]
  • POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA SITES Below Is a List of Some of the Most Commonly Used Youth and Teen Social Networking Sites and Tools
    POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA SITES Below is a list of some of the most commonly used youth and teen social networking sites and tools. Ask.fm (http://ask.fm) Participants log on, post a question anonymously and anyone may answer anonymously. “Do you think I am fat?” or “Would you date me?” are examples of questions posted in the past. There have also been examples in which individuals were encouraged to kill themselves. The site has courted controversy by not having workable reporting, tracking or parental control processes, which have become the norm on other social media websites. Twitter (https://twitter.com) An online social networking and microblogging service that enables users to send and read "tweets", which are text messages limited to 140 characters. Instagram (http://instagram.com) A photo-sharing app for iPhone. Kik (http://kik.com) Kik is as an alternative to email or text messaging and its popularity has grown in the last two years. Kik is accessible on smartphones and supports over 4 million users, called “Kicksters.” Users are not restricted to sending text messages with Kik. Images, videos, sketches, emoticions and more may be sent. A user can block users on Kik from contacting them. Wanelo (http://wanelo.com) Wanelo (from Want, Need, Love) sells unique products online, all posted by users. Products posted for sale range from dishes, clothing, intimate wear and other potentially “R-Rated” products. Vine (https://vine.co) Vine is used to create and share free and instant six-second videos. Topic and content ranges. Snapchat (http://www.snapchat.com) A photo messaging application.
    [Show full text]
  • Oneorganism Ecosystem Discovered in African Gold Mine
    3/19/14 One-Organism Ecosystem Discovered in African Gold Mine - Wired Science Science News for Your Neurons Share on Facebook 85 shares Tweet 7 0 Share 2 One­Organism Ecosystem Discovered in African Gold Mine By Alexis Madrigal 10.09.08 11:19 AM Edit In the hot, dark water of a South African mine, scientists have found the world’s loneliest species. Everywhere else biologists have studied life on our planet, they’ve found communities of life, but today, biologists announced they have discovered an ecosystem that contains just a single species of bacteria. www.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/10/one-organism-ec/ 1/32 3/19/14 One-Organism Ecosystem Discovered in African Gold Mine - Wired Science In all other known ecosystems, the key functions of life — harvesting energy and elements like carbon and nitrogen from the environment — have been shared among different species. But in the water of the Mponeng gold mine, two miles under the earth’s surface, Desulforudis audaxviator carries out all of those functions by itself. In short, it’s the tidiest package of life found yet. "It is possible to pack everything necessary for maintaining life into one genome," said Dylan Chivian of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. All known life forms need carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and an energy source to live. Plants need nitrogen, but can’t just pull it from the atmosphere and start using it to make amino acids. Instead, they rely on archaea for that task. Interconnections like these form the basis of an ecosystem, often cheesily called the ‘web of life’.
    [Show full text]
  • BHN Fall 2017 Issue
    BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEWS TM YOUR TRUSTED SOURCE OF INFORMATION, EDUCATION, ADVOCACY AND RESOURCES FALL 2017 ISSUE FROM THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL NEWS SCENE VOL. 5 NO. 1 The Vital Role of Housing in the Recovery Process A Healthy Place to Rest Your Head By Andrew Bloch, LCSW, nesses, these may have been inadequate to Marcie Katz, LCSW, provide the needed additional structure and and Fabricio Loza support. A housing application is com- NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester pleted by the social worker and handed off Division, Second Chance Program to Assertive Community Treatment teams or care coordinators to follow-up on once the individual is back in the community. he Second Chance Program at While a reasonable plan, our experience NewYork-Presbyterian West- tells us that such a plan is fraught with nu- chester Division is an in-patient merous pitfalls for this population that psychiatric rehabilitation pro- make the successful transition to more sup- Tgram for men and women with difficult to portive and stable housing unlikely. These treat psychotic disorder illnesses. Most of include skills deficits such as how to man- the individuals referred to the Second age residual symptoms, impaired problem Chance Program (SCP) have struggled solving skills that can lead to impulsive with being able to remain in the commu- decision-making and a return to maladap- nity. In addition, they have often had nu- tive coping strategies that have failed to merous hospital admissions to acute units work in the past. that have failed to break the cycle of re- More than half of the patients referred peated hospitalizations or to provide the to Second Chance Program (SCP) are ei- necessary structure, safety and support ther street homeless, residing in shelters or needed to help these individuals increase transitional living residences, or patients community tenure and begin to thrive Andrew Bloch, LCSW, Marcie Katz, LCSW, and Fabricio Loza who would benefit from a higher level of outside of the hospital setting.
    [Show full text]