I saw a computer security billboard using a picture of one of the Guy Fawkes masks they allegedly use as a symbol. Are they commonly known enough for this to make sense? Or is it more a case of “if you know who this is the ad is directed at you”?
The masks are recognizable enough without the connection with Anonymous.
I think most people who keep up with the news know who Anonymous are but you have to be quite intense to fully understand or know precisely what it is they have done. I don’t think most people care enough to be honest. This group and splinter groups like it tend to go silent for long periods of time and what they produce in returning gets an awful lot of hype that doesn’t ultimately live up to it.
I’ve often seen Fawkes masks to represent clever mysterious disrupters, and have seen the capitalized word “Anonymous” as a substitute for an identifying name. I suppose numerous people wear Fawkes masks and sign themselves “Anonymous”.
But the idea that there’s one particular person going by this name, who is famous for what they have done, is news to me – and I keep up with a lot of news. What is the story you’re referring to?
No story in particular. I’ve just also seen the two associated often enough in pictures and such.
This American knows that Guy Fawkes is well-known to Brits, but I don’t remember what he is famous (or infamous?) for. If I was in a situation where I wanted to know anything at all about him, I’d have to look it up. And I am confident that my fellow Americans tend to know even less about him than I do. I certainly never saw a mask or a symbol and recognized it as being a Guy Fawkes mask.
Gonna go google “guy fawkes mask” now.
Well, that was easy!
Yeah, sure, I’ve seen that mask a lot. My reaction to it is, “Oooh, the villian of the movie is now on screen! Cue the very melodramatic music!”
Hero of the movie, actually.
And morally ambiguous antihero in the original graphic novel.
They’re not referring to a single person, but a very loose organization of internet trolls turned activists. They used to be a big deal, but they’ve not gotten as much press in more recent years. When appearing in public, they would be wearing Guy Fawkes masks.
I know that “Anonymous” has written a large number of poems, witty sayings, etc.