Cyber Security, Hacking, and Hacktivism
Concerns about cyber-security involve questions about the security of the web (e.g. attacks of commercial and government websites) and the security of personal information (data) (e.g. identity theft, phishing, etc.). Since a large part of our contemporary lives and commercial activities are lived and conducted on cyberspace, cyber threats and cyber insecurities are regarded as a serious problem in the contemporary digital world. Cyber-attacks come in different forms and with mixed motives. Some of the motives are blatantly malicious but others also seem to be politically motivated (e.g. the cyber-attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment, Target Stores, and Home Depot—see our textbook, Cyberspace, p. 203). Some of the cyber attackers (e.g. WikiLeaks, Anonymous, etc.) regard themselves as political movements who use hacking as a political strategy to communicate, protest and advocate a viewpoint (e.g. under the pretext of freedom of information). This complicates the assessment of the morality of hacking and Hacktivism (politically motivated hacking activities). Is hacking intrinsically immoral? What is the moral status or standing of hacktivism—legitimate acts of protests and dissenting acts of civil disobedience? Protests and civil disobedience in the physical world are generally considered as a moral and constitutional right (typically the right of free expression and the right of dissent). What is the fundamental difference, if any, between hacking and hacktivism? Should cyber-activism, i.e. hacktivism (such as WikiLeaks) be equally recognized as an exercise of a morally legitimate act of free expression, protest and civil disobedience? Can Hacktivism meet the conditions of legitimate acts of civil disobedience, at least as set by the philosophy of John Rawls? (See lecture slides; Rawls’ paper is posted among the readings for weeks 14 & 14). Your argument must demonstrate a very good understanding of Hacktivism and the conditions (or qualifications) that must be satisfied for an act to count as a genuine case of Hacktivism and civil disobedience, at least as discussed in this class. Finally, what is your own position on the issue? What form of ethical reasoning or theory are you following to defend your viewpoint?
