What Can Anonymous & Hacker Collectives Teach Us About Internet Activism?

UnTextbooked | A history podcast for the future

In 2008, Anonymous posted a video declaring war against Scientology. Some people flocked to join the hacker collective while corporations started re-evaluating their security protocols. This week on Untextbooked, producer Caroline Somers dives into the history of the hacker collective and asks what can we learn about internet activism.

Gabriella Coleman is the author of “Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy: The Many Faces of Anonymous”. She is a full professor in the Department of Anthropology at Harvard University. She is the founder and editor of Hack_Curio, a video portal into the cultures of hacking. In 2022, she hosted the BBC4 radio and podcast series, The Hackers.

Listen to new episodes every Thursday. Follow the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you listen. That way you never miss an episode.

Love the show? Consider writing us a review on your podcast app or telling a friend about the show. This really helps us spread the word.

Visit UnTextbooked.com for learning resources including a glossary of terms.

Show Notes:

(00:00) - Anonymous’s First Video

(1:42) - Introduction to Anthropologist Gabriella Coleman

(3:18) - The Origins of Anonymous

(4:25) - How did Anonymous Organize Hacks?

(7:39) - Why did People Get Involved with Anonymous?

(9:11) - Pseudonymous Names & Illegal Activity

(12:02) - Trolling Culture & Chat Logs

(14:56) - Anonymous Hacks & Leaks

(19:35) - Phineas Fisher and Guayacama

(21:59) - Reflections & Takeaways