The movement Anonymous is the modern, freely organized group online and offline of users idealizing the principles of anonymity and freedom on the Internet. The movement opposes censorship, prosecution and supervision in a global computer network. In protest members of Anonymous carried out different attacks on the state websites and the websites of the organizations for safety.
Initially the organization represented the anarchical digital global brain coordinating the participants for achievement of the goals connected with entertainments, Internet humour and memes. But since 2008 the focus in activity was shifted towards actions and protests against the anti-counterfeiting actions organized by the trading, industrial and writing companies. Public opinion ambiguously belongs to the movement Anonymous. Someone calls them fighters for freedom on the Internet, and someone – anarchical guerrillas in the wide area network.
Anonymous – essentially new phenomenon of mass activism integrating various participants the general direction of the movement. The organization structure completely is absent: at any time new users can join the movement, leave old, some – to take a new direction. But at the same time the group remains very numerous and has the serious force and influence. Its efficiency is in what in each case manages to be integrated strength of participants from around the world.
The movement is not tied to any certain websites, but some resources are positioned as closely connected with this Internet group. The popularity and the Anonymous sizes increase after each successful and scandalous attack or an action. Using comic interpretation of the name Anonymous as real person, the American Time log included it in TOP 100 of the most influential people of 2012.
The movement Anonymous is decentralized by a ponost. In it there are no leaders and heads. It is controlled by the collective strength of its participants giving in total effect of unity. Participants of the movement are, generally users of mageboards, Internet forums together with some viki-websites and IRC networks. Social and IRC networks, the different websites are used by the movement as the means of communication and the organizations of protest actions on the Internet and the real world. There are also specialized resources allowing everyone to overcome restrictions, which are applied in different mageboards.
Hacker activity of Anonymous is based on application of wide network of a botnet. Participants of the movement voluntarily download the LOIC application on the computers, attaching thus the computer to a botnet.
Guy Fox's mask which is widely used by participants in offline actions became one of characters of the movement. For the first time it began to be used in 2008 as an anonymity character. Subsequently became the graphic Internet meme and an official Anonymous mask.