How does this documentary alter your understanding of Internet?
Instead of each of us being an individual on our own computers, doing only things which service ourselves, we could potentially all unite and work together on the internet to achieve certain things. E.g. I thought the swimming pool attack on Habbo was genius, and I literally never would have thought of that – because who has the time and would make the effort to organise that many people to do the same thing on a website which seems so insignificant, not really achieving anything that benefits society.
I never knew where memes came from, or all the weird shit on the internet. I now know most of it originated from 4Chan. The more you know.
How is social media used to create a community of people who share a similar interest and politics?
Social media unites together people who have similar interests and care about the same things. Through social media, you are able to express your opinion and what matters to you, and those around you are able to display their support to the same cause as well.
What ideas does this documentary raise in regards to designing an event that asks people to participate and become part of a community?
One of the events in the documentary which encouraged people to form together for a common cause was bringing down Hal Turner. By hearing the evidence presented about Hal Turner throughout the documentary, I was disgusted at his racism and immediately sided with Anonymous and their cause to take him off the internet. Turner’s quotes evoked a sense of rage in the ‘trolls’ and so they all joined forces in order to ruin him. The emotions Anonymous felt in relation to Hal and what he said about certain races united them on their plight, making them out to be a community of people. Therefore, it can be said that in order to get people to participate in an event, there needs to be something that they get out of it. It could be the simple joy of seeing others frustrated and annoyed (as with the Habbo swimming pool prank) or taking down a ‘source of evil’ which is believed to be no good for society.
Even the war against scientology:
“It resonated a feeling of disgust within us.”
“And I started thinking: this is actually for a decent cause. I think I’ll do this.”
“It felt like you were making a difference and you didn’t even have to leave your home.”
“Even after watching the video, you’re left wondering ‘well who’s actually gonna do it? Who’s actually gonna step up? Are people gonna actually get out of their house?'”