Justifying Hacktivism: Moral High Ground or Virtual Vigilantism?

This presentation delves into the complex question of whether hacktivism is morally justified or simply virtual vigilantism. It begins by defining hacktivism as the use of computerized software to promote political agendas or highlight societal issues, acknowledging both its potential benefits and risks. T...Read More

Cyber Crime
Is Hacktivism ever morally justified or is it just virtual vigilantism

What is Hacktivism
• The term hacktivism derives its origin from
internet activism.
• computerised software are used to promote
certain political agenda or the same is used to
point out certain societal changes.
• There are several examples where hacktivism
proved detrimental and posed as a threat for
the society.

Cont.
• The people are showing their
agitation against the political
system in various ways and
hacktivism is one of the new
forms where certain hackers
are trying to promote certain
political plans by hacking the
computer system of others.

Cont.
• There are many more examples on
the cyber activism and considering
the effectiveness of the cyber
activity, many countries have taken
steps and invested billion dollars to
secure their confidential files.

Overview:
• It has been observed that the hackers are
performing their acts with certain
political ideologies.
• The activities like hacking are promoted
by the hackers who are spreading their
ideas by intervening the servers of
others.
• There are two aspects of hacktivism; it
can be positive that can bring societal
change or it can be detrimental in nature.

Nature and controversy
• The nature and character of hacking
can be different.
• It is depending on the user. It has
been observed that the term hacking
can be done for the idea of politically
motivated technologies, or it can be
done for the sources of anarchic
disobedience or the same should be
done for anti-systematic gestures.

Scholar’s view
• Rukundo (2017) states that
hacking is a form of
protestation.
• Oxblood Ruffin (2004) has
stated that the process of
hacking has done web
defacement.

Hacktivists and morality
• Hacktivism is an activity that
reflects the concept and statement
of certain people by using
computer software.
• Hacktivist groups are revealing
their grudge on the society or
institution through cyber activities.

Cont.
• In 2006, WikiLeaks has been
founded by Julian Assange to
fight against the social
changes.
• LulzSec has been formed in
2011 for promoting the
freedom of information.

Cont.
• Hactivists take active part in
the promotion of fundamental
rights.
• The word fundamental right can
be termed as human right.
• The activities of cyber activisms
are directly connected to the
public protestation.

Cont.
• All the documents that are displayed
through the hackers reflect the real
condition of the human rights.
• On the other hand, in case of
Anonymous, it has been observed
that certain hackers have formed
this group to hack the personal
information of the officials with some
ulterior motive.

Arguments on hacktivism
• Certain hackers promoting the idea of political
liberalism.
• Hackers stand against the wrong acts of the
governments.
• The cyber activities do not reflects the
democratic shades everytime.

Cont.
• Some hackers do not employ their
mind for the best interest of the
individuals.
• The malfunction of the hackers deny
the confidentiality of an institution.
• In 2015, Anonymous decoded the
official website of Church of
Scientology. Further, the group has
taken active part in the Black Lives
Matter Movement.

Cyber vigilantes
• The illegal activities of the hackers
have denied the democratic
character of the hackers and
therefore the concept of political
protest has been diminished.
• Therefore, it is quite difficult to give
any justification for the validity or
the invalidity of the system.

Cont.
• Activities of vigilantes create
negative impact on the society.
• Process of decoding can be
proved as harmful for any
institution.

Civil right and cyber activity:
• According to Chadwick and May (2016), political
mobilization can be done properly with the positive
cooperation of the cyber activists.
• Cavelty (2015) opines that the main aim of cyber activists
should give focus on the proper exercise of civil rights.
• In the words of Bennett and Segerberg (2015), “There is a
difference between a demonstration and a protest
organized by a traditional political party or trade union
that happens to have an online presence, and a
demonstration or protest that originates from the posts of
individuals on social networks.”
• According to Jorgensen (2015), “The most public cyber
activism is clearly covered by traditional human rights
protections”.

Impact of cyber activists:
• Many cyber activists employ their web
knowledge for the protection of the
rights of the citizens.
• WikiLeaks has helped to understand the
illegal interference of United States over
the citizens of various countries.
• it can be stated that the concept of
hacktivism is mixed in nature.

Reference
• Bennett, W.L. and Segerberg, A., 2015. 11. The logic
of connective action: digital media and the
personalization of contentious politics. Handbook of
Digital Politics, p.169.
• Chadwick, A. and Stromer-Galley, J., 2016. Digital
media, power, and democracy in parties and election
campaigns: Party decline or party renewal?.
• Dunn Cavelty, M. and Jaeger, M.D., 2015. (In) visible
ghosts in the machine and the powers that bind: the
relational securitization of Anonymous. International
Political Sociology, 9(2), pp.176-194.

Cont.
• Han, R., 2016. Cyber activism in china:
empowerment, control, and beyond. A. B et
al., The Routledge Companion to Social
Media and Politics. Routledge (forthcoming).
• Jørgensen, R.F., Møller Pedersen, A.,
Benedek, W. and Nindler, R., 2015. ICT and
Human Rights. FRAME.
• Rukundo, S., 2017. Criminals or Activists?
Finding the Space for Hacktivism in
Uganda's Legal Framework.