"Anonymous" (transcription of English Anonymous, IFA: [əˈnɒn.ɪ.məs]; literally "anonymous", "anonymous", "nameless") is a modern international network of activists and hacktivists, whose individual nodes are loosely connected to each other.
The term originally appeared in 2003 on the imageboard 4chan as a concept of multiple online and offline user communities representing an anarchic digital world mind. The term also refers to a subculture that elevates the idea of anonymity and freedom on the Internet. "Anonymous" is strictly against Internet censorship, harassment and surveillance. The group has hacked various government websites in protest. Attacks have also targeted major security organizations. Members and supporters of Anonymous can be identified by wearing the Guy Fawkes mask, which has become one of its symbols. The Guy Fawkes mask is also a reminder of the struggle against a repressive government, as shown in the comic strip V for Vendetta and its film adaptation.
In its earliest form, the concept of "Anonymous" was interpreted as a decentralized Internet community acting anonymously and in a coordinated manner to achieve its goals, usually for the entertainment of various Internet humor and memes. And later, starting in 2008, Anonymus began to be strongly associated with the notion of collaborative and international hacktivism. They held a number of protests and other actions in response to digital anti-piracy (see copyright) campaigns by various trade, film and other companies. Most such actions were carried out by unknown individuals or a group of individuals who called themselves by that name, "Anonymous". Some analysts praise Anonymous as fighters for Internet freedom[13] or as a "digital Robin Hood," while critics condemn them as "anarchic cyber partisans," "a mob of cyber-lynching" or "cyber-terrorists."
The "Anonymous" movement is not necessarily tied to specific resources, but some sites are closely associated with it. These tend to include image boards (e.g. 4chan), as well as related wikis, Encyclopædia Dramatica, and a number of Internet forums[18]. After a series of scandalous and well-publicized actions and protests, as well as successful DDoS attacks and website hacks, the popularity and size of the "Anonymous" group has increased.
In an analysis of the movement's capabilities, "Anonymous" was positioned as one of the main successors to the WikiLeaks website, according to CNN. In 2012, the American magazine Time included "Anonymous" in the list of one hundred most influential people of the year.
