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Griefers Assault Epileptics Via Message Board
An anonymous reader tips us to a story up at Wired reporting on what may be the first computer attack to inflict physical harm on victims. Last Saturday, griefers posted hundreds of bogus messages on the support forums of the nonprofit Epilepsy Foundation that used JavaScript and strobing GIFs to trigger migraines and seizures in users. For about 3% of the 50 million epileptics worldwide, flashing lights and colors can trigger seizures. "'I don't fall over and convulse, but it hurts,' says [an IT worker in Ohio]. 'I was on the phone when it happened, and I couldn't move and couldn't speak.' ... Circumstantial evidence suggests the attack was the work of members of Anonymous, an informal collective of griefers best known for their recent war on the Church of Scientology. The first flurry of posts on the epilepsy forum referenced the site EBaumsWorld, which is much hated by Anonymous. And forum members claim they found a message board thread — since deleted — planning the attack at 7chan.org, a group stronghold."
See Wikipedia for a pretty complete explanation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griefer
In a nutshell, it's someone that does a deliberately obnoxious or destructive thing to another person, simply for their own personal entertainment.
So, it's not exactly being used correctly. If it was done by Anonymous in response to a supposed threat, that was a premptive strike, not a griefing. If it wasn't anonymous, but simply someone that thought it would be funny, then griefing is a correct term for it.
Maybe this is how Anon rolls on 7chan, but the Anon of 4chan simply does not work like this. Perhaps someone encouraged them, but usually such an idea would be met with accusations of using /b/ as a personal army. The raids I have seen always target pornographic webcams, racist radio shows, or rival internet groups such as Gaia. Anon may laugh at harm that happens on others, but they aren't actually malicious when it comes to their own actions. It is more their style to troll a dyslexia forum with garbled paragraphs. I suppose this could be the doing of a minority of truly evil people who take advantage of the anonymity, but this just seems too convenient of timing. I believe the Co$ is to blame for this.
with Firefox open about:config search for image_animation_mode and set to none
with Seamonkey in preferences > Privacy & Security > Images select Never to Animated images should loop...
not sure about Opera as i don't have it currently installed, and as far as Internet Explorer i have no clue since i do not have or use windows...
Politics is Treachery, Religion is Brainwashing
To disable animation in Opera you go to Tools > Quick Preferences > uncheck "Enable GOF/SVG Animation"
Idiot troll. Epilepsy is absolutely *not* a psychological reaction. It's purely physiological - its no different in principle than a knee-tap reflex.
Brett
...Says the Anonymous Coward. Grow up.
Hello, Slashdot. We are Anonymous.
.info with the most horrendous filth porn and human gore imagery to be found online.
Anonymous, peacefully campaigning against the Church of Scientology, condemn this attack.
There is also little doubt that those who would attack a site such as this, and unprovoked, are the same 'Unnamed People' who covered the anti-Church of Scientology Campaign wiki page, Projecct Chanology on partyvan
It is possible that these were both orchestrated by anti-moralist members of 'the chans', but it is also not impossible that the 'Church's' online operatives managed to instigate this unprecedented attack to discredit the peaceful protesters.
Perhaps 'the chans' do not realize they are being manipulated.
Sadly anonymity is a catch all, literally anyone can and will say "I am Anonymous", even The Church of Scientology is "Anonymous" when they connect to public FTPs. You can not have the security of anonymity both inside and out, without the problems of defending against anonymous insurgents, just ask Wikileaks.
Condolences to any harmed.
This attack, as any violent attack, is condemned by Anonymous.
Though the 'Church' will push this at every opportunity, it will feed their policy of ad hominem attack. It does not in any way negate the crimes of the 'Church', they cannot hide behind another.
We will legally fight the corrupt pyramid scheme organization that is the Church of Scientology regardless.
Knowledge is free.
We are Anonymous.
We are Legion.
We do not forgive.
We do not forget.
Expect us.
Epilepsy has many different forms and variations of severity. Some aren't lucky and suffer from seizures triggered by sound, light, etc. For others its a non-stop thing where they can convulse many times per day.
I have epilepsy. Mine isn't triggered by rapidly blinking lights at all. Mine is caused by sleep deprivation and didn't develop until my late teens-early 20's. I'm on a very low dose of anti-seizure meds. Fortunately mine are under control. I have a driver's license and I remain very active. I don't think anyone will ever realize I have epilepsy. I'm thankful I'm fortunate enough.
Epilepsy can be caused by a genetic disorder (there's no family history) or a traumatic brain injury (very mild to very severe). Getting in a car accident, playing hockey, falling off a bike that sort of thing, if it hits the right way with no protection, you could end up with brain damage which *could* lead to epilepsy.
If there's any particular thing I want to give as a message, get your kids to wear a helmet. You seriously do not want to fuck around with risking a traumatic brain injury. I had one probably while playing sports and I think this is what's caused my problem. Bones can heal but your brain won't.
That said, this incident is highly irresponsible. If the hackers are in the US, I hope they get the full brunt of an FBI investigation.
[...]
I don't feel guilt. I understand why I should, but if I am not the one making a prank phone call to the parents of some recently deceased child---I can disassociate enough from the act to sit back and laugh. Antisocial personality disorder (psychopathy)
Diagnostic criteria
Three or more of the following are required:
You can't take the sky from me...