by Felix Stalder

They are piling up lately, the digital attacks from hackers who enter under the collective pseudonym "Anonymous" for freedom and social justice. In early January, it hit the website of the global steel group ArcelorMittal in Belgium - the company had closed a steel mill in Liege and dismissed workers. In December 2011 published alleged anonymous hackers private data from tens of thousands of customers of Stratfor, a U.S. company for geopolitical analysis, referred to by critics as a "shadow CIA", in August 2011 was the site of the Syrian Ministry of Defense, chopped; and in June it hit the website of the Spanish police, who had recently arrested three alleged anonymous activists.

About who is behind the anonymous mask is much speculation: Insert elite hacker behind it or just innocent teenagers or even dangerous cyber-terrorists? In particular, could be something to it, while only the central element of the overall phenomenon is overlooked smooth: Anonymous is in fact not one but many. Here, no group or network, but a swarm or, more accurately acts: several schools that reinforce each other.

Basically Anonymous is one, albeit extreme example of the great protest movements that have developed over the last year in the Arab world, Israel, Europe and the United States. The differences between these new movements and the political system against which they oppose, are clearly seen in their other types of organizational forms: on the one hand, there are hierarchical structures based on the principle of representation by through elections legitimized rulers on behalf decide all - with the restriction that this legitimacy has been weakened by corruption, nepotism and disregard for the institutional separation of powers in many cases.

On the other hand, collectives are without a leader at their head, who reject the principle of representation, and favor the direct involvement in specific projects. Here decisions are based on certain themes rather than the reached consensus on an ad hoc basis calculated according to certain rules by majority vote. The behavior of this new collective defies the logic of the established political institutions, whose representatives are accustomed to responding to specific demands.

Simply put, the swarm is a temporary community is made up of independent individuals who are organized horizontally with simple techniques and rules. "The complexity arises from the meritocratic principle which determines how the swarm operates and acts as an organism," said Rick Falkvinge, co-founder of the Swedish Pirate Party. "Because participation is voluntary in a swarm, and hope the people here that they can make a difference for them important, is the only kind of leadership is to inspire them to action." (1) The strength of the swarm is based on the amount participants and the integration of their isolated, independent efforts.

The expert in social media, Clay Shirky, has identified three prerequisites for the emergence of such a loosely organized cooperation. The promise, the means and the agreement (2) The pledge serves as a trigger for action. It must be a sufficient number of
Swarms - Rise in power

People appear to be relevant and achievable. The digital tools are now readily available online, such as the famous open-source software, "Low Orbit Ion Cannon" (Loic), which was named after the ion cannon from the sci-fi classic "Star Wars". In forums, wikis or chat, the more coherent communication can be maintained over a longer period. With the agreement to accept the conditions for entry into the collective action space. Only if three conditions are satisfied for a large number of users - an attractive promise of available tools and an agreement not to complicated - can start the cooperation. The whole thing is never static and unchanging, so as to grow the swarm, the direction change or fall apart. So, such swarms not to chaotic and short-lived affairs, there must be a fourth element, a common horizon, which "allows the scattered members of a network to recognize each other as part of a common universe of references and ideas," as the cultural critic Brian Holmes erklärt.3

Anonymous is thus a series of shoals. Each swarm is organized around a specific call to action, acts independently from the others and has its own combination of promise and agreement to form a digital tool to attract the users. But while the schools are united in that they support each other and operate under the same open identity that consists of a few rather general slogans, graphic elements and cultural reference points. Anyone can wear this identity as a mask, but to be Anonymous, makes sense only if a very special blend of bizarre humor, anti-authoritarianism and taboo-free speech suits, which Anonymous has over time acquired.

Despite the many attempts to "civilize Internet" - a purpose which has recently reaffirmed Nicolas Sarkozy at the G-8 meeting in May 2011 in Paris - there are still dark corners of the web, where everything is permitted. Of particular importance for Anonymous, the website 4chan.org is a technically simple, but very popular online forum, which was founded in 2003. There, images and texts can be adjusted without having to register - it appears under the identity "anonymous". The most active forum of the page, / b / random, contains no explicit rules for posting. In addition, the site has no memory, so all contributions that do not receive replies slip deeper and deeper into the rankings and are eventually discarded -. Usually within minutes (4)

The only memory exists in the minds of users. Thus disappear all that is not easily remembered and can be repeated. To prevent rapid disappearance, hundreds of posts every day formulated in the form of action calls, deface, for example, the proposal, a randomly selected Wikipedia articles. If the call to attract enough people, there is a small flock will fall to the article - just for fun.

Because of the need to get things through repetition and participate in life, has been developed over time a collective culture, which renounces individuality or geographical indications. Within five years from the technical placeholder "anonymous" collective identity "Anonymous." The common denominator is a very strong, almost unquestioning commitment to freedom of expression, coupled with a deep distrust of any form of authority that tries to limit this freedom.

It was no coincidence, as a group began in winter 2008 to use the anonymous identity for a campaign against Scientology, which is being fought for years by hackers. The cyber-activists have repeatedly published insider information on fraud and manipulation, while Scientology aufwendete each significant resources in order to suppress such information and to destroy the personal prestige of their critics. Anonymous took part in the battle, after Scientology tried to stop the spread of an internal motivational videos, in which the movie star Tom Cruise - makes a deranged impression - a senior member. In response to the usual legal threats a not entirely seriously meant video was distributed, announcing the destruction of the Anonymous Scientology.

After a heated debate on several chat forums - an important part of the infrastructure of spontaneous real-time coordination - not only online campaigns against the Scientology Web site has been coordinated, but also launched a global day of action to life. On 18 February 2008, in over 90 cities in the U.S., Europe, Australia and New Zealand Scientology opponents on the road. To guard against possible revenge by the organization, many participants were disguised with the now famous Guy Fawkes mask - a nod to the anarchist rebels from the comic series "V for Vendetta" (5) On this day met Anonymous activists. for the first time outside of the Internet and expressed solidarity with other protest groups. Fun became serious.

These protests were in the next two years the political focus by Anonymous. In September 2010 created the "Operation Payback" another anonymous swarm. He began as an attack on the Indian company Aiplex software that had been hired to destroy exchanges such as The Pirate Bay. (6) Payback expanded rapidly on the website of MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) and other pro-copyright organizations. The actions were under the common motto: "You talk about piracy, we call it freedom."
Anonymous has expanded the realm of possibility

During the "payback" Anonymous operation was more politicized and technically and strategically savvy. In December 2010, after Wikileaks had been cut off donations to Operation Payback regrouped and hacked the websites of MasterCard, Visa, PayPal and Bank of America. Anonymous in January 2011 focused on attacking the websites of the Tunisian government, and thus gave the Tunisian bloggers a sense of global Solidarität.7

During the year 2011, multiplied the anonymous swarms, numerous calls were circulating action. Triggers were often people who simply sought attention or just wanted to take advantage of the media attention. But some views, it managed to attract enough supporters. On 23 August 2011 for example, published Anonymous a video in which was the occupation of Wall Street called -. An idea that had been circulated for several weeks by the Canadian activist group Adbusters (8) As interfered Anonymous, rose suddenly, the attention of this proposal, whereupon several independent initiatives joined together for the action. Together they started on 17 September 2011, the permanent occupation of Wall Street.

Anonymous created slogans again and again and links that can identify many, such as the equation of freedom with media piracy. Most of the established players, especially some NGOs that want to be taken seriously by the powerful forces in politics and society are such statements still too extreme. But does the radical nature of Anonymous, it repeatedly, releasing latent energies, while reaping the more prudent, "rational" statements only lukewarm reactions. Thus, the public sphere expanded to other debates, after the political discourse for decades had moved in a narrow part of the mainstream.

This form of organization, however powerful in its spontaneity, may deal only in a destructive manner with the established institutions. Currently they can not and will not create its own alternatives. It creates a common opposition horizon that could make it easier to coordinate future actions. In supposedly stable walls she has already beaten cracks. To turn these plans into something constructive, is the role of others. First of all, Anonymous has successfully expanded the realm of possibility.