Hacktivism Essay - 1832 Words

Introduction Walk through the grocery store or go to buy a computer or a car, you will see labels for no steroids or additives, â€Å"This item meets energy star requirements†, or an EPA rating sticker. These primarily have come about from activist and lobbyist. Activism has definitely shaped our society for better or worse. Activism has long been a practice in American society. Only recently has the Internet become a factor in political participation. Hacktivism has brought a new method of activism where people all over the world can participate in. But is this new form of activism ethical from any standpoint? This paper will discuss the ethics behind hacktivism. Ethics Merriam-Webster defines ethic as â€Å"the discipline dealing with what†¦show more content†¦(McGeehan, n.d.) The 1980s were remembered for the activism surrounding the issue of HIV/AIDS (OutHistory, 2010) and the 1990s were filled with people interested in bringing to light social issues such as abortion, nuclear proliferation, environmental protection, rights for those with disabilities and continued civil rights issues (Martin, 2007). This isn’t a complete list of course but it is a rough outline of the things that concerned citizens during a 30-year period of American history. Activism has been a huge part of our society, just look at how we came to America in the first place. Activism tends to more in favor of people and their rights, but we do have laws against violence and damaging property. Activism has come in peaceful protests, to boycotting products, to burning down buildings and starting wars. Depending on the passion of the individuals and how far they are willing to go a lot of harm can come from activism. Yet activism seems to carve society in such a way to conform if the move is strong enough. Is it justified to kill people over slavery? Ultimately probably not, but some may think so. The age of computing has brought us closer together as a global community. The Internet allows us to speak to a worldwide audience. With the increased use of computers, networking and digital storage of documents, more accessibility has come about. People can share thousands of documents fromShow MoreRelatedIs Hacktivism Morally Permissible?2375 Words   |  10 Pages Is Hacktivism Morally Permissible? In Himma’s terms, â€Å"hacktivism will be understood as involving unauthorized digital intrusions for the purpose of protesting some injustice or advancing some political agenda.† (Himma 14) An unauthorized digital intrusion is the manipulation of computers and networks belonging to someone else who in turn has their property rights violated. (Himma 1) Himma argues hacktivism is morally impermissible if and only if it harms innocent people or if the hacktivist staysRead MoreThe Liberties, Ideologies, And Effects Of Hacktivism1699 Words   |  7 Pagesand effects of hacktivism. Hacktivism, is the combination of hacking and activism, and is where a hacker creates a technology-centered disturbance with a political or social motive. Unlawful hackers typically cause cyber damage for amusement, or monetary gain. While traditional hackers are perceived as criminals, hacktivists are a transgressive group. Cyberterrorism is the most extreme version of hacking, where the goal i s to cause permanent damage. There are benefits to hacktivism such as, anyoneRead MoreThe Rise Of Hacktivism : A Form Of Protest1815 Words   |  8 PagesThe Rise of Hacktivism: a Form of Protest In this day and age living in the era of the computer, it has become more mainstream and common to hear of cyber attacks, and crime being committed on the internet. Activism however, has become a prominent way to protest or argue a political view. Using related technologies and the internet have become a vital way for some to share their views. With the rise of the internet, â€Å"hacktivism† has become a prominent way for protest groups to express while alsoRead MoreA Perfect Example Of Civic Hacking1001 Words   |  5 Pagesweather; it simply allows users to avoid streets that are unplowed and lets them examine possible alternate routes. Without the efforts of civic hackers, citizens could be left stranded on unplowed city streets. A third positive example of hacking is hacktivism. Though hacktivists have a more subtle positive effect, they consistently bring controversial decisions and topics to light. Hacktivists are hackers that use their talent to be activists that support a certain cause. Most are politically motivatedRead MoreEnemy Of The System1454 Words   |  6 PagesTimothy Garbanzos Professor Norbert Hill Hacktivism Argumentative Research Paper English Composition 1302-12805 25 March, 2017 Hacktivist: Enemy of the System In January 2008, the noteable hacktivist group, Anonymous, bashed and instigated the Church of Scientology for simply wanting to remove a video interview of Scientologist Tom Cruise. Anonymous were shocked at the news and gave screams of â€Å"INTERNET CENSORSHIP IS A SIN† and â€Å"INFORMATION WAS BORN FREE† across their keyboards. Hand in hand withRead MoreEthical Use Of The World Wide Web1619 Words   |  7 PagesEthical Use of the World Wide Web For or Against Hacktivism, A Fierce Tug-of-War On November 28, 2010, a statement from the White House said, â€Å"We condemn in the strongest terms the unauthorized disclosure of classified documents and sensitive national security information† (Statement by the Press Secretary). Meanwhile, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and American ambassadors around the world were contacting foreign officials to alert them to the unexpected disclosure (Shane and Lehren). EarlierRead MoreWikileaks : A Perfect Record Forever1271 Words   |  6 Pagesword but it means so much more than that. It is one of the most important values everywhere we go. One can never go wrong with being honest, not only being honest to others but being honest to oneself as well. As what Dorothy Denning wrote about Hacktivism, â€Å"It has become not only a popular means of activism, but also an instrument of national power that is challenging international relations and international law.† Hacktivists are one of the groups and individuals in the world that are advocate ofRead MoreThe Article Hacking As Politically Motivated Digital Civil Disobedience1179 Words   |  5 PagesCritical Essay In the article Hacking as Politically Motivated Digital Civil Disobedience: Is Hacktivism Morally Justified? by Kenneth Einar Himma, She argues that the as an electronic civil disobedience, hacktivism is morally impermissible. Kenneth claims that the acts of civil disobedience is not always morally permissible because the nature of it is disobeying the state of the law and it is more expressive than the right to free speech. Then she discusses the framework to evaluate acts ofRead MoreThe Is A Good Thing For Society?1019 Words   |  5 PagesHacktivism is the act of hacking, or breaking into a computer system, for a politically or socially motivated purpose. This term has been around since the 1980s, but never has it been more prevalent than now. It seems that not a week can go by without one of these online incidents appearing on the news. With technology advancing, it raises the following question: Are hacktivists beneficial or detrimental to society? After a careful analysis of the pros and cons, one side of this question becomesRead MoreHacking sweeps the nation Essay2084 Words   |  9 Pagesas a group. A new revolution sweeping the nation is being described as â€Å"hacktivism†, and is said to be a whole new hybrid of fending for people’s human rights (Brandon, Pg. 1). This statement is true; the protesters have now managed to use hacking as a tool to get their message across, by causing costly damages to large corporations, unjust acts, and many other things that deserve revenge. â€Å" Hacktivism is the act of hacking, or breaking into a computer system, for a politically or socially