Tech and social mischief makers, Anonymous have issued video statements on clip site YouTube – making its intentions known towards Facebook and encouraging others to ‘kill’ their beloved Social Network tomorrow, the 5th of November.
On the same date as their mascot Guy Fawkes threatened to topple parliament in the gun powder plot of 1605, the worldwide hacker collective states it will cripple the social network which gathers and stores all the information of its 800-million active users. Anonymous has previously taken out high-profile government security systems and entertainment networks. Recently it has taken up an anti-hero role challenging child-abuse supporting web hosts and is currently influential in the global “Occupy” campaign against capitalism.
The first video features a disguised Anonymous activist detailing the threat but speaking in Spanish. We’re unsure whether this reveals the origin of the video – or if it’s another reference to Guy Fawkes, who himself fought for the Spanish in 1591.
In a second English spoken video, the masked Anonymous representative addresses the citizens of the world, whether an activist or “a guy who just want to protect the freedom of information” and tells us in a distorted voice that even when we delete items, or remove our account entirely Facebook still continues to store the information and sells it to government bodies including Egypt and Syria – violating our right to privacy. The group urges us to boycott Facebook.
“You are not safe from them – or any government. One day you will look back on this and realise what we have done here is right” says the voice, telling us to prepare for a day we will never forget. The video ends with the familiar mantra of the anti-sec troupe – “We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not Forgive. We do not Forget – Expect Us.”
Do our Gadget Helpline readers believe the threats? Will Facebook fall on the 5th of November? Do you support the Anonymous crusade – or think this is simply a prank? Let us know on our official Gadget Helpline Facebook Page – before it’s too late!
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