The Hacktivists – study guide - FRAW

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Babar the Elephant…the internet alterego of French hacktivist Renaud Courvoisier fromthe Federation of Random Action; THE POLITICS OF CODE: THE SYMBOLISM OF ELECTRONIC PROTEST AS DISPLAYED BY RICARDODOMINGUEZ’ STREET PERFORMANCE, WRITING OUT THE CODE TO HIS INFLUENTIAL ‘FLOODNET’ TOOL; Canadian hacktivist NARTVILLENEUVE: ‘We’re not against globalisation, we’re against how it’s happening, and who’s in control of how it’shappening’.of the UN Development Program,gave alarming statistics aboutdeclining standards of living inmany countries. He warned, ‘Ifpresent trends continue, the definingconcerns of international affairsin the next century will revolvearound the struggle for equity—equity among nations, equity withinnations, between the sexes andfor future generations’. Thesetrends were recently up-datedby Dr Selim Jahan, the DeputyDirector of the United NationsHuman Development Program. Atthe Australian launch of the 1998report, he stated that twenty six percent of the world’s people accountfor eighty six per cent of spendingfor personal consumption. Thewealthiest twenty per cent consumeforty five per cent of meat and fish,use fifty eight per cent of totalenergy, own seventy four per centof all telephone lines and eighty percent of the world’s vehicles (Ellicott,1998, p.3).• Compare and contrast various definitionsof globalisation with thatgiven by Renaud, ‘Everyone to joinin and voice their concerns. Resistanceis global, activism is global,hacktivism is global’.• Ben likens the Internet to the city.Amazon.com represents the richof the world while the Hacktivistsrepresent groups he lists as ‘... thepoor, organised crime, etc’. Do youagree with his description?• Renaud talks about his work asdevoted to ‘politics in its noblestsense’ rather than ‘politicking’.What do you think he means bythis? He gives an example of asuccessful action inearly 2000 in whichhacktivists targeteda company calledFidelity Investments.After five days ofprotest the companydivested itself oftwenty five per cent investment ina large petroleum company. Theaction was taken to protect theinterests of an Indigenous groupwhose land was under threat fromthe company’s oil exploration.• How many points of view are involvedin this particular issue?7 THE LAW• International law has not keptpace with globalisation, but underAmerican law, Renaud would beliable for the company’s costs in reestablishingfive web sites, involvingfines of $5000 or a year’s jail.• What information would aresponsible web site give topotential protesters so that theyknow what they are agreeing todo when they take part in a webprotest?ACTIVITY• Devise a quick and easy tounderstand checklist for any studentwho might be interested in onlineactivity, so they can assess anactivist web site they may intendusing for reliability of informationand for responsibility towards thosewho want to use it.8 DEMOCRACYProfessor John Arquilla, a US Defenceanalyst argues: ‘The notion of freedomof movement in cyberspace is very5ISSUE 29 AUSTRALIAN SCREEN EDUCATION