Lulz

Gabriella Coleman has done field work on the group “Anonymous,” and argues in Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy that the group is not violent or dangerous. They’re only out for laughs, laughs of a particular kind indicated by the term lulz, which Coleman defines as “a deviant style of humor and a quasi-mystical state of being.”

She acknowledges that Anonymous unexpected has become a direct-action political force: “Anons could be found at the heart of hundreds of political ‘ops’ – becoming integral, even, to some of the most compelling political struggles of our age. In solidarity with Tunisian protesters, Anonymous hacked the Tunisian government’s websites in January 2011; months later, Spain’s indignados beamed the collective’s signature Guy Fawkes mask onto a building in Plaza del Sol; and Anons disseminated the first calls to occupy Wall Street. Anonymous became even more widely known two years later in December 2010, the result of ‘Operation Avenge Assange.’” 

And Coleman acknowledges that Anonymous has its roots in internet trolling and “uncoordinated Motherfuckery,” which includes efforts “to desecrate the reputations of individuals and organizations and reveal embarrassing and personal information. Trolls try to upset people by spreading grisly or disturbing content, igniting arguments or engendering general bedlam. The chaos of feuding and flaming can be catalyzed by inhabiting identities, beliefs and values solely for their mischievous potential; by invading online forums with spam; or by ordering hundreds of pizzas, taxis, and even SWAT teams to a target’s residence.”

She knows that “a subset of tactics—notably DDoS attacks and hacks—are illegal: criminal offenses under all circumstances, at least in the United States.” When Anons began to be exposed by counter-hackers, they “started to leak sensitive, classified, or humiliating information. At this juncture, the FBI got involved.” Coleman even admits that “no matter how much Anonymous injected lulz into an op, humor could not stop the spread of a gut-wrenching unease among participants and observers of the group.”

But it’s all for lulz, mind you.

It’s all in good fun when they’re exposing the abuses of Scientology, but it might be harder to laugh when your own sacred cow is getting gored.