Political Hacktavism

[RobbieGanjaSeed]

I was just watching the ABC, and saw a show about a group of people calling themselves loosley as "hacktavists". Their actual name is "cyber hippys", and they've come up with some great stradegies for protesting. They simply bomb target companies with email, objecting to some point.

 

They claim to have made a lot of wins, and that it's the way forward for groups to protest globally.

 

I realise this kind of thing has been done before, but I think it was largely a shit stir, bombing companies with malicous programms that just dump loads of email to a computer to slow up their works.

 

But these guys are targetting companies over certain issues, and encourage all their fellow activists to write their own emails to give it a certainty of credabilty, although there are still those who like the bot. programms to deliver the same email in repetative form to clog a system.

 

But I was thiking of how when we all got together on this site, we hoped that it would serve as a meeting place for what is basically a very disjointed country in so far as protesting. We're relatively a small population, with only a small number of people in each city that are upset about one thing or another enough to protest. The country is large and sprawling, and the numbers low. We hoped we could concentrate the australian marijauna culture here to launch some kind of organised protest, together, in a way that would be impossible to do otherwise, due to the expanse of the country.

 

I had no idea how we could accomplish this, but had hoped somthing would come along. I think this is it.

 

If we all even used secure web based email programms so we couldnt be traced back, surely we could all send an email peridocally, co-ordinated to hit a certain politiican responsible for such things as we want changed; at the same time.

 

On the show I watched, a bloke who worked for some company that was being targetted, a guy who is responsible for such descions as they were interested in changing, had to go to work every morning at 4 am, just to go through the emails, so he could operate through the day. I presume more annoyed him through the day aswell.

 

 

Initially I thought what a blast to play with the cops, but to hell with that. Why not actually do this? To politicians.

 

brash? Any thoughts?

 

cheers

rob

[Tom]

Hey Rob, great to see you around again, here's a link to The Hacktivist site. I like your idea, count me in.

[Luke Skywalker]

I just finished watching that a bit ago actually, that was great.

 

Felt like cheering for them every battle they won.

 

But yeah, looks like something we could be interested in. Of course, it's not going to be for everyone, and it may not even necessarily be good to have ozstoners as the base of operations as it were, but it could still be well worth investigation.

 

I dunno about cops either, but hell yeah, let's screw over the pollies who've got the agritech companies in their pockets, and the major synthetic and environmentally destructive cotton industries. There is definite possibilities if you were to use this against legislators, you'd get almost instant coverage, nation wide.

 

All you need to kick off a national debate is piss off a pollie about something. We do it juuuuust right, we could seriously effect the outcomes of the next election, and the platforms on which they are run.

 

Better stop thinking now, might get all anarchical and start chanting...

[Tom]

My vote for the first "action", this guy needs to read some facts, plenty of them. ::

 

Michael D. Robinson

Executive Director

Drug Free Australia Ltd.

 

Email: info@drugfreeaustralia.org.au

- or - drugfree@optusnet.com.au

 

Website : http://www.drugfreeaustralia.org.au

 

Address all correspondence to:

PO Box H135

Hurlstone Park NSW 2193

 

Other contact numbers:

Mobile 0414 719 742

Ph 02 9591 8850

Fax 02 9789 0080

Edited March 18, 2004 by Tom

[pipeman]

All you need to kick off a national debate is piss off a pollie about something. We do it juuuuust right, we could seriously effect the outcomes of the next election, and the platforms on which they are run.

haha I think you may be getting a little carried away there mate but yeah if someone posts the email addresses I for one will send them emails.

 

I will also send an email to that address Tom posted now. so there, don't blame me if it doesn't get legalised

[Brash]

Yeah Robbie,

 

I saw the same program and it sparked interest in me as well. The net is a boom to activism, even my little conservative type. Look at some of the prohibitionist/Christian/family values sites, they do similar stuff. They have templates of letters to editors, members of Parliament etc. they don't even have to think, just download or cut and paste.

 

From e-mailing politicians at present I find a success rate of less than 5%, thats about 7 responses from all 135 politicians. Letter writing gets a much better response rate from previous actions I've been in, but I can't afford the postage.

 

NSW Parliament sits on April Fool's Day this year so me and a few mates are planning a 'special' action. We haven't decided on anything final yet ... PM suggestions as it might be better as a suprise for the Gov & Media.

[Guest]

What some websites do is have a statement prepared and aimed at a target email address. All visitors have to do is click on the link. Sounds easy but I'm not a programmer.

 

Any chance of those targeted revenge swamping our site?

Edited March 19, 2004 by Chong

[Brash]

Indeed,

 

Tit for tat is what keeps conflicts of all types going ... just look at international politics at present. I always write as an individual, not aligned to any group, in particular no political party affiliations.

[Tom]

Any chance of those targeted revenge swamping our site?

Please don't see this as an action by Oz Stoner's, we are just encouraging fellow stoners as individuals to email this guy and his organisation with the truth about medical mj use and to give him some examples of what it can do, both Chev and myself have kept Oz Stoners out of this and would ask others to do the same unless Oz Stoner decides otherwise.

 

This sort of action carries a lot more weight if it appears to come from "real people" rather than an organisation, or in this case a site, I have also posted about this at another site and would encourage other members to do the same.

[Brash]

Please don't see this as an action by Oz Stoner's, we are just encouraging fellow stoners as individuals to email this guy  ... This sort of action carries a lot more weight if it appears to come from "real people" rather than an organisation, or in this case a site, ... 

Yes I agree,

 

We don't need fanatics fucking up this site. These prohibitionists can get very rabid when they want. Also I would suggest that e-mails don't contain defamation or threats that can be legally followed through. Reasoned arguments beat abuse hands down.