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Hackers Attack AU Websites To Protest Censorship

An anonymous reader writes "A band of cyber-attackers has taken down the Australian Parliament House website and hacked Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's website in coordinated protests against government plans to filter the Internet. The group responsible, called Anonymous, is known for coordinated Internet attacks against Scientology and other groups in the past. It recently turned its attention against the AU government after it said in December that it would block access to sites featuring material such as rape, drug use, bestiality and child sex abuse."

21 of 334 comments (clear)

  1. That'll teach 'em. by darkvizier · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm sure parliament is trembling in their shoes about now. They cannot hope to stand against anonymous. Who can possibly save them? Maybe... batman...

    1. Re:That'll teach 'em. by Asic+Eng · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Not sure if it's a good idea to protest censorship by limiting others' speech. Apart from that I think it will more likely create the impression of the "scary evil hackers who need to be controlled by law". I'd like to feel happy about this event since I agree with the anti-censorship sentiment, but I'm afraid it will actually do more harm than good.

    2. Re:That'll teach 'em. by Ukab+the+Great · · Score: 5, Funny

      Batman's a shady character with a troubled past, lots of toys, and teenage boy partner who he dresses in tights. The cry for help would never make it past the filter.

    3. Re:That'll teach 'em. by clone53421 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Censorship is like violence. If it doesn’t solve the problem, use more.

      --
      Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
    4. Re:That'll teach 'em. by justinjstark · · Score: 5, Informative
      This isn't just about child pornography and beastiality. The Australian government is also trying to censor pornography including women with small boobs and female ejaculation.

      Senator Joyce claimed that publications featuring small-breasted women were encouraging paedophilia.

    5. Re:That'll teach 'em. by HungryHobo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      remember: this system will still be there when his party next gets into power.
      Then he'll add everything he wants to the blacklist.

    6. Re:That'll teach 'em. by SlayerofGods · · Score: 4, Funny

      According to Fiona Patten, Convenor of the Australian Sex Party: "We are starting to see depictions of women in their late 20s being banned because they have an A cup size."

      You know I've been an independent my whole life but I think I've finally found a party I could really get behind ;)

      --

      Technology, the cause of and solution to all of life's problems.
    7. Re:That'll teach 'em. by clone53421 · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think I've finally found a party I could really get behind

      So many possibilities...

      under... on top of... into... in bed with...

      --
      Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
    8. Re:That'll teach 'em. by paeanblack · · Score: 4, Insightful

      That's not to say we shoudln't pro-actively target those who want to rape children and post pictures of it.

      No matter how heinous and vile any particular crime may be, pro-actively targeting someone for merely wanting to do something is far, far more evil.

  2. Of course by HungryHobo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They'll just swat ineffectually at anonymous, like a man being swarmed by bees.
    They might even arrest one or 2 people.
    And the /b/tards will laugh.

  3. I believe the concept of Anonymous escapes you by Dunbal · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "The group responsible, called Anonymous, is known for coordinated Internet attacks against Scientology and other groups in the past."

          Right. Because anyone calling themselves anonymous are the "same group". Specifically because "Anonymous" means "of unknown name". Heck, we have a bunch of Anonymous Cowards here on slashdot too! Let's track down their IP's and throw them in jail like the terrorists they are! After all, they've been seen on TV to blow up yellow vans, so they must be evil, right?

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    1. Re:I believe the concept of Anonymous escapes you by clone53421 · · Score: 5, Funny

      This was my favourite part:

      Anonymous could not immediately be reached for further comment.

      Really?!

      --
      Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
    2. Re:I believe the concept of Anonymous escapes you by Monkeedude1212 · · Score: 4, Funny

      When I asked them about it - I had to post a picture with my question - and all they said was "SAUCE" over and over again.

  4. Re:Do you agree? by HungryHobo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Oh it's easy to pick out a few things and say "these, these are ok to put on the blacklist"

    The problem being of course that once there *is* a blacklist, esspecially one which nobody is allowed to see or even talk about then pretty soon other things start getting added to the backlist and after a while you might as well just move to china.

    Lets look at it from the fundamentalist crazy point of view....
    "Abortion = murder and well murder is worse than rape and murdering children is worse than raping them"... them so pro abortion sites quickly end up on the list.

    and so on and so on.

    Given the real world examples of exactly this kind of situation is anyone here going to try to argue that this isn't a *real* slipppery slope?

  5. we are legion by eparker05 · · Score: 5, Funny

    We are anonymous, we are legion! we do not forg...

    Crap! I forgot to log out.

  6. Boomerang by westlake · · Score: 4, Informative
    Anonymous recently turned its attention against the AU government after it said in December that it would block access to sites featuring material such as rape, drug use, bestiality and child sex abuse.

    I can't think of anything more likely to validate the government's actions in the eyes of its socially conservative constituents.

    1. Re:Boomerang by ShaunC · · Score: 5, Informative

      Anonymous recently turned its attention against the AU government after it said in December that it would block access to sites featuring material such as rape, drug use, bestiality and child sex abuse.

      The summary omitted a few things. For one, the proposed blacklist would target otherwise legal adult sites featuring small-breasted women, with the apparent rationale that anyone who doesn't love giant plastic D-cups must be a pedophile.

      Of course, it's a lot easier to vilify Anonymous by saying they're trying to defend CP and donkey porn...

      --
      Thanks to the War on Drugs, it's easier to buy meth than it is to buy cold medicine!
  7. Re:we are legion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sweat dripped down John's brow. He'd never done it like this before. It had always been anonymous and random. He'd pick out someone from the chat room and have his way with them. But this time it was different. He didn't realize it at first. There had been the usual flirting and the textual foreplay. And then she had called him by his name. He had forgotten to log out.

    John sat staring at his screen for a full minute. There were the words she had written, as alluring as the naked body he could see in his minds eye. She wanted him. Not just his usual cyberself but him personally. He wasn't sure if this was something he wanted to do. But it felt good. Taking a deep breath he began to type. "I put on my rob and wizard hat"...

  8. Re:Do you agree? by NitroWolf · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't agree about censoring drug-related sites, but about the other contents...

    The submitter of this article is a cock for including that summary, as is the editor who greenlit it.

    Anonymous is not protesting this because the AU government is proposing censorship of "rape, drug use, bestiality and child sex abuse." They are doing it because they are proposing censoring "small breasted women" (because, you know, small breasted women MIGHT be under 18), among other things.

    They are lashing out at the “ambiguity” of the often-used term “unwanted content”, the Australian Government is trying to crack down on pornography featuring female ejaculation and women with small breasts... yes, those things that are a threat to modern society. I mean, if females start ejaculating, we are all doomed!

    So the entire article is a load of shit. I expect better from Slashdot editors than greenlighting a load of sensationalist horseshit about a technical issue.

  9. Re:Do you agree? by clone53421 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The whole issue is a red herring. Looking at a picture isn’t a violation of someone’s privacy because taking the picture was the violation of their privacy. Lost privacy can’t be regained, and privacy you no longer have can’t be violated.

    The whole issue is a red herring thrown up to avoid the fact that what happened happened and there’s fuck-all we can do about it.

    --
    Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
  10. Re:Do you agree? by HungryHobo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    child abuse violates the freedom of the child.
    absolutley.

    But censorship in no way un-violates the freedom of that child.
    it gains nothing.
    it achieves nothing.
    it help nobody.

    The pictures are out there and they don't stop being out there.